1 


I  LIONEL  B.GOLDSCHMIDT. 


1 , 


ii%1x:M.t5^M^:I:z^■gfeDIM^ 


THE 
BREATH 
OF   THE 
KARROO 


THE  BREATH  OF 
THE   KARROO 

A   STORY   OF    BOER    LIFE 
IN    THE     SEVENTIES 

BY 
L.    H.   BRINKMAN 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 
ARUNDEL  PLACE,  HAYMARKET 
LONDON,  S.W.      ^     eg     MCMXIV 


LONDON    AND    NORWICH    PRESS.    tIMITED,    LONDON"    AND    NORWICH 


o^/. 


PREFACE 

WHATEVER  might  be  said  of  the  old 
Dutch  Boer,  South  Africa  owes  him  a 
debt  of  gratitude.  Born  in  the  veld, 
his  wants  were  few  and  easily  satisfied. 
Accustomed  to  hardships  from  the  cradle,  he  was 
eminently  suited  to  pioneer  civilisation  into  waste 
deserts,  by  overcoming  dangers  and  conditions 
requiring  the  most  strenuous  and  persistent  per- 
severance, and  the  sacrifice  of  every  comfort  and 
social  intercourse  that  made  life  worth  living. 

Crude  as  the  Boer  was  in  method  and  wanting  in 
education,  his  very  name  became  a  synonym  for 
uncouthness.  Yet,  in  spite  of  all  drawbacks,  he 
literally  ploughed  his  way  through  innumerable 
dangers,  trials  and  vicissitudes,  gaining  ground  and 
strength  in  his  onward  career,  until  he  was  able  to 
bequeath  to  the  generations  yet  unborn  the  mag- 
nificent legacy  of  a  country,  a  home,  purged  from 
depopulating  evils,  responding  abundantly  to  the 
husbandry  of  the  agriculturist  and  stock  farmer. 
Where  formerly  the  caves  of  savages  and  the 


vi  PREFACE 

dens  of  the  carnivorse  lurked  in  lonely  deserts, 
chapels  and  schools  now  proudly  rear  their  heads 
as  fit  monuments  to  the  pioneer  blood  shed  to  clear 
the  way  for  their  advent. 

His  fights  with  Kaffir  tribes  have  been  chronicled  ; 
his  bravery  in  war  recorded,  but  who  can  tell  of 
the  many  daily  evils  that  the  old  Boer  had  to  meet 
and  vanquish  in  the  seclusion  of  his  farm  ? 

The  Boer's  struggle  with  the  thieving,  treacherous 
Bushman  was  a  long  and  tedious  one,  to  overcome 
whom  many  a  heartbreak  had  to  be  endured,  as 
wife  or  child  or  husband,  and  sometimes  a  whole 
family,  was  cruelly  murdered. 

The  story  in  the  following  pages,  based  upon 
facts  taken  from  real  life,  as  narrated  to  the  author 
by  an  old  Boer,  is  only  a  peep  at  one  of  the  many 
incidents  which  led  up  to  the  final  doom  of  the 
Bushmen  in  the  Karroo. 

Looking  back  upon  his  past  struggles  with 
savages  and  wild  beasts,  and  counting  the  price 
paid  by  his  ancestors  in  blood  and  tears  for  the 
land  he  calls  "  Home,"  who  can  wonder  at  the 
indomitable  spirit  of  independence  which  forces  the 
Boer  to  resent,  even  to  the  point  of  war,  all  inter- 
ference in  his  domestic  government  of  the  land  he 
so  dearly  acquired  ? 


PREFACE  vii 

The  feud  between  Briton  and  Boer  is  now  over, 
after  a  fight  so  marked  by  bravery  on  both  sides 
that  each  learned  to  respect  the  other,  and  the 
conquering  Briton,  with  a  poUcy  of  magnanimity 
that  astounded  the  world,  has  handed  over  to  the 
Boer  the  management  of  his  own  affairs. 

The    wisdom    and    brilliancy    of    statesmanship 

displayed  in  that  trust  in  a  great  measure  repays 

the  debt  due  to  the  old  pioneer  Boer,  and  not  only 

redounds  to  the  eternal  honour  of  England,  but 

serves  as  a  model  for  all  other  nations,  who  recognize 

it  as  an  epoch  in  the  revolutionary  progress  of  the 

world. 

L.  H.  B. 

queenstown, 

South  Africa. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTEI 
I. 

5 
Xante  Let          .         .         .         . 

PACE 
II 

II. 

The  Poison  Doctor    . 

24 

III. 

Going  to  Nachtmaal 

38 

IV. 

Victoria  West   .         .         .         . 

53 

V. 

Nachtmaal 

69 

.     VI. 

Andries  Witte 

86 

VII. 

A  Premonition 

98 

VIII. 

Death 

113 

IX. 

Pursuit 

125 

X. 

Bargaining 

143 

XI. 

Nemesis 

161 

XII. 

Gijs  Proposes 

174 

XIII. 

Witte' s  Good  Resolutions 

192 

XIV. 

A  Thunderstorm 

208 

XV. 

A  Town  in  Flood 

227 

XVI. 

Crossing  the  Spruit  . 

244 

XVII. 

The  Law  Moves 

264 

XVIII. 

Tukie  Makes  a  Counter-move 

.       283 

XIX. 

"  I  Come  " 

.         •         • 

.       303 

THE 
BREATH  OF  THE   KARROO 


CHAPTER    I 

XANTE   LET 

HEAVENS,  Gijs  !  Whatever  have  you  got 
there  ?  " 
Gijs  made  no  reply,  but  Hfted  from 
the  cart  two  small  brown  objects  looking 
for  all  the  world  hke  new-born  baby  monkeys,  and 
carefully  deposited  them  on  the  stoep  before  his 
mother.  There  was  no  occasion  to  explain  the 
nature  of  the  Uttle  creatures,  for  they  set  up  such 
a  howl,  and  at  the  same  time  displayed  their  Umbs 
so  ostentatiously,  kicking  in  protest  of  their  griev- 
ances, that  the  fact  was  apparent  to  anybody  that 
they  belonged  to  the  genus  homo. 

"  Two  little  Bushmen !  Where  did  you  get 
them,  and  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  them  ?  " 
A  frown  was  gathering  on  Tante  Let's  forehead. 

"  I  found  them  in  the  veld  under  a  krantz,  and 
the  poor  things  looked  so  deserted  and  cold  that  I 
took  pity  on  them.  I  thought  we  might  domesti- 
cate them  and  bring  them  up  as  servants." 

Indeed,  they  did  look  pathetic  atoms,  with  not  a 
scrap   of  clothing   to   hide   their   helpless   nudity. 

II 


12   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

And  the  ground  was  still  damp  with  the  previous 
night's  frost. 

"  Gijs,  you  must  take  them  back  at  once.  I  do 
not  want  them  on  the  farm.  You  know  what 
Bushmen  are.  As  soon  as  the  parents  discover 
that  you  have  robbed  them  of  their  children,  they 
will  murder  us  all  in  time." 

"  But,  mother,  everybody  hereabouts  is  catching 
and  taming  young  Bushmen,  and  you  don't  hear 
of  their  parents  worrying  much.  I  think  they  are 
jolly  glad  to  get  rid  of  the  little  encumbrances." 

Tante  Let  would  not  hear  of  it,  and  she  was 
gradually  becoming  angry  with  her  son  for  per- 
sisting in  the  madness,  as  she  called  it,  of  trying  to 
keep  and  domesticate  Bushmen.  In  her  opinion 
domesticating  the  Bushman  simply  meant  changing 
his  nature  from  natural  savagery  into  cunning 
treachery. 

Gijs  saw  that  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to 
take  them  back  again  to  the  krantz,  and  accordingly 
he  replaced  the  still-screaming  babies  in  the  cart 
and  drove  them  back  in  the  direction  he  had  come. 

Tante  Let  watched  her  son  driving  away,  and 
remained  on  the  stoep  for  a  considerable  time, 
staring  into  vacancy,  her  features  assuming  that 
pensive  look  that  comes  over  the  face  when  the 
soul,  conjuring  up  long-gone  scenes,  sad  or  happy, 
according  to  the  mood  of  the  thinker,  communes 
with  itself. 

Her  husband,  Gijsbert  Uijs,  had  left  her  early  in 
hfe  :  and  her  widowhood,  fraught  as  it  was  with  the 
manifold  worries  of  existence  on  a  farm,  the  bringing 
up  of  her  two  sons — one  of  whom  was  a  mere 


TANTE    LET  13 

suckling  when  their  father  died — and  the  hard 
struggle  to  keep  things  going,  had  somewhat 
hardened  her  nature,  and  given  her  a  peculiar 
harshness  of  manner  and  speech. 

In  spite  of  this,  however,  she  possessed  many 
sterHng  qualities,  and,  as  far  as  she  was  known, 
was  not  only  respected,  but  loved.  In  times  of 
sickness  or  want  she  was  the  one  first  appealed  to, 
for  she  would  sympathise  and  help  to  the  utmost 
of  her  power,  it  being  the  principal  tenet  in  her 
reUgion  that  each  is,  to  a  great  extent,  the  keeper 
of  his  brother,  and  that  one  must  first  succour 
others,  before  asking  help  from  heaven. 

Neighbours  living  at  great  distances  would  send 
for  her  to  come  to  some  sick  person,  and  mile  after 
mile  would  she  travel  in  response  to  such  a  summons. 
Meanwhile,  those  at  the  farm  who  needed  her 
assistance  would  impatiently  watch  the  road  for 
the  return  of  the  cart  sent  to  meet  her,  and  when  at 
last  it  made  its  appearance  in  the  distance,  the 
anxious  one  would  be  inspired  by  sudden  hope,  as 
the  magic  words  were  whispered :  "  The  cart  is 
coming." 

When  Tante  Let  entered  a  sick-room,  every  one 
felt  that  a  strong  and  helpful  spirit  was  at  hand, 
and  the  invahd  would  take  comfort ;  for  it  was  well 
known  that  Tante  Let  never  gave  up  hope  whilst 
life  remained. 

Only  those  who  live  far  away  from  towns  with 
their  doctors  and  stores  of  patent  medicines,  know 
the  true  worth  of  such  a  woman  as  Tante  Let. 
Many  were  the  stories  told  of  lives  snatched  from 
the  very  grave  by  her  perseverance,  and  of  the 


14   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

wonderful  efficacy  of  her  home  remedies.  Life 
was  a  strenuous  business  as  she  understood  it,  and, 
although  at  heart  the  kindest  and  most  sympathetic 
of  helpers,  Tante  Let  had  become  somewhat  queru- 
lous and  abrupt  in  manner. 

To  the  whole  countryside  she  was  known  as 
"  Tante  Let."  No  one  would  ever  have  dreamed 
of  calling  her  "  Mrs.  Uijs,"  and  had  anybody  done 
so,  she  would  have  put  him  down  as  "  uppish," 
and  have  treated  him  with  scant  courtesy. 

The  words"  tante,"  meaning"  aunt,"  and"  oom," 
meaning  "  uncle,"  are  still  used  by  the  young  Dutch 
as  a  mark  of  respect  when  addressing  their  elders. 

A  young  Dutchman  or  girl  addressing  an  elder 
invariably  does  so  by  the  Christian  name,  omitting 
the  surname,  and  prefixing  either  "  tante "  or 
"  oom,"  and  to  the  uninitiated  it  sounds  odd  to 
hear  a  young  man  on  being  introduced  to  people 
who  are  perfect  strangers  to  him,  greet  them  so 
familiarly.  The  elders,  in  turn,  address  the  younger 
men  as  "  neef,"  and  young  girls  as  "  nicht,"  both 
terms  meaning  "  cousin,"  a  friendly  method  which 
tends  to  banish  formality  and  put  every  one  at  ease. 

As  Tante  Let  was  sitting  on  the  stoep,  many 
thoughts  crowded  through  her  mind,  and  it  could 
be  plainly  seen  that  she  was  uneasy  from  some 
cause  or  other.  She  felt  lonely  and  forsaken,  and 
often  said  that  since  the  death  of  her  husband  she 
had  never  known  what  real  company  meant. 
Although  many  of  the  neighbours  came  to  see  her, 
she  felt  at  times  the  need  of  some  strong,  responsive 
heart  to  whom  she  could  unbosom  herself. 

Life  had  become  a  serious  matter,  with  a  multi- 


TANTE    LET  15 

tude  of  duties  to  be  discharged,  and  promised  very 
little  in  return.  It  was  twelve  years  since  she  had 
lost  her  husband,  and  \\dth  him  went  all  her  pleasure 
in  life.  She  lived  now  for  her  two  sons,  and  loved 
them  so  deeply  that  she  often  rebuked  herself  for 
verging  perilously  near  idoUzing  them,  and  in  conse- 
quence incurring  the  displeasure  of  heaven. 

Her  elder  son  Gijsbert,  named  after  his  father, 
gradually  took  the  responsibility  of  the  farm  from 
her  shoulders.  He  was  a  strong,  sturdy  young 
man,  with  all  the  good  nature  of  his  mother.  Al- 
though only  in  his  twentieth  year,  he  had  already 
displayed  such  daring  and  bravery  in  times  of  danger, 
that  his  neighbours  nicknamed  him  "  David,"  a 
name  bestowed  upon  him  in  the  first  instance  after 
an  encounter  with  Bushmen,  in  which  Gijs  had 
showed  such  utter  indifference  to  their  poisoned 
arrows  that  he  had  routed  the  gang  from  their 
hiding-place,  single-handed. 

Quiet  and  retiring,  he  belonged  to  that  class  of 
young  men  who  have  httle  to  say  for  themselves, 
and,  in  the  company  of  women,  are  most  uncom- 
fortably shy.  When,  however,  serious  business 
was  on  hand,  such  as  tries  the  mettle  of  men,  the 
young  Boer  had  a  habit  of  pushing  himself  to  the 
front  and  taking  any  risk  that  might  arise.  In  an 
unobtrusive  manner  he  had  gradually  taken  the 
place  of  his  father  in  the  management  of  domestic 
affairs,  and  Xante  Let  never  did  anything  of  import- 
ance without  first  consulting  him  on  the  matter. 

His  brother  Piet  was  still  too  much  of  a  child  to 
be  of  any  real  assistance  on  the  farm — being  only 
thirteen  years  old,  but  he  made  himself  generally 


i6   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

useful  and  was  specially  occupied  in  tending  the 
flock  of  sheep  and  looking  after  the  lambs  on  the 
werf. 

Tante  Let's  reverie  was  interrupted  by  Piet, 
who  came  out  of  the  house  dangling  a  huge  tortoise 
at  the  end  of  a  string. 

"  Mother,  are  you  going  to  Nachtmaal  ?  1 
heard  Jantje  say  that  you  and  Gijs  would  be  going, 
and  that  he  and  I  will  manage  the  farm  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;    I  think  so.     Why  ?  " 

"  If  you  go,  will  you  buy  me  some  gunpowder 
and  lead,  and  a  clasp  knife  ?  The  old  knife  Jantje 
gave  me  is  so  blunt  that  it  won't  cut  a  riem,  even 
after  I  have  sharpened  it." 

"  I  will  see,  but  you  want  some  clothing  badly, 
and  I  have  to  buy  so  many  things  for  the  farm  that 
I  can  make  no  promise." 

"  You  know,  mother,  eight  of  the  skins  you  are 
taking  belong  to  me,  and  if  you  sell  them  there  will 
be  more  than  enough  to  pay  for  what  I  want.  With 
the  rest  you  can  buy  yourself  a  new  Sunday  dress." 

"  Thank  you,  child,"  said  Tante  Let,  taking  his 
face  between  her  hands  and  kissing  him  passion- 
ately. 

"  And  when  you  go,  may  I  ask  Japie  to  stay  with 
me  ?     I  will  be  so  lonely." 

"  We  have  made  no  arrangements  yet,  Piet. 
When  Gijs  comes  we  can  talk  the  matter  over,  but 
I  will  not  leave  you  here  alone." 

Satisfied,  Piet  hurried  off  to  some  lambs  at  the 
kraal,  dragging  his  tortoise  after  him. 

Going  to  Nachtmaal  is  the  great  event  in  Boer 
Ufe. 


XANTE    LET  17 

In  the  year  1870  there  were  very  few  towns  or 
villages  in  the  Karroo,  and  often  a  journey  of  two 
or  three  days'  duration  had  to  be  undertaken  to 
reach  the  nearest  town  boasting  a  church  and  a 
minister.  Consequently  many  communicants,  on 
account  of  the  great  distance  from  the  church,  could 
only  partake  of  Nachtmaal — the  Sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper — once  a  year,  and  often, 
through  stress  of  circumstances,  two  or  three  years 
elapsed  before  the  sacred  privilege  could  be 
indulged  in. 

The  event  being  so  rare,  great  preparations  were 
made,  for  going  to  Nachtmaal  did  not  only  mean 
going  to  church,  but  the  transaction  of  a  number 
of  things  of  a  temporal  nature  as  well. 

Sterkfontein,  Tante  Let's  farm,  in  common  with 
all  Karroo  farms,  consisted  of  extensive  plains  of 
Karroo  bush,  a  low  scraggy  shrub,  seldom  more 
than  eighteen  inches  high,  but  very  fattening  and 
sustaining  for  sheep.  Here  and  there  a  few  kopjes 
relieved  the  monotony  of  the  view,  and  every  few 
miles,  randjes,  or  low  stony  hills,  stretched  across 
the  plains.  Except  for  an  occasional  patch  of 
thorn  bush,  there  were  no  trees  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach.  The  homestead,  or  werf,  however, 
formed  an  oasis  in  this  desert ;  and  it  is  surprising 
to  note  how  luxuriantly  trees  of  any  description 
will  grow  in  the  Karroo,  if  properly  attended  to 
and  regularly  watered. 

Sterkfontein,  as  the  name  impHes,  was  the  envied 
possessor  of  a  strong  fountain,  and  consequently  the 
homestead  had  a  beautiful  garden  and  lands,  from 
which  not  only  the  farm  itself,  but  also  many  less 


i8   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

privileged  neighbouring  farms,  were  supplied  with 
wheat  and  forage. 

The  dwelling-house  was  very  disappointing.  The 
walls  were  low,  barely  nine  feet  in  height,  sur- 
mounted by  an  old  thatched  roof,  showing  signs  of 
decay  ;  the  windows  were  all  very  small  and  of 
the  kind  that  opens  on  hinges,  protected  by  crude 
wooden  shutters  opening  outwards.  The  doors 
were  in  two  parts,  divided  horizontally,  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  top  part  could  be  opened  while 
the  bottom  remained  closed. 

These  doors  were  not  only  picturesque  but  indis- 
pensable, as,  by  keeping  the  lower  door  closed,  and 
the  top  one  open,  they  afforded  a  free  outlook  from 
the  inside  of  the  house,  whilst  chickens,  dogs,  pigs, 
and  other  animated  appurtenances  incidental  to 
a  farm  were  shut  out. 

The  roughly  plastered  mud  walls,  innocent  of 
whitewash  or  artistic  workmanship,  were  well  in 
keeping  with  the  apology  for  a  stoep,  which  was 
merely  a  slight  elevation  covered  with  flat  slabs  of 
sandstone. 

The  Dutch  Boer,  however,  never  makes  the 
mistake  of  judging  a  farm  by  the  appearance  of  the 
house  built  upon  it,  or  the  number  of  outhouses. 
A  farm's  value  is  regulated  by  its  water  supply, 
and  the  extent  of  arable  land  and  farming  con- 
veniences, such  as  kraals,  sheds  and  stables. 

Sterkfontein  possessed  all  the  necessary  qualifica- 
tions of  a  good  Karroo  farm,  and  was  accordingly 
coveted  by  all  who  thought  they  could  afford  to 
buy  it.  No  matter  how  good  the  offer  was  Tante 
Let  would  not  sell,  as  by  the  terms  of  her  husband's 


XANTE    LET  19 

will  the  farm  had  to  go  to  the  two  sons  in  equal 
shares. 

Jan  Brandt,  her  nearest  neighbour,  had  offered 
Tante  Let  two  farms  in  exchange  for  Sterkfontein, 
tr5ang  to  tempt  her  with  the  argument  that  she 
would  thus  be  enabled  to  leave  each  of  her  sons  a 
farm  for  himself.  But,  even  if  her  husband's  will 
had  not  placed  this  beyond  her  power,  she  would 
not  have  accepted  the  exchange,  for  Sterkfontein 
contained  what  was  to  her  sacred — her  husband's 
grave. 

Tante  Let  was  still  sitting  on  the  stoep  when  Gijs 
returned  from  the  veld,  Jantje,  the  old  Hottentot 
servant,  was  ready  to  take  the  horses  as  they  were 
outspanned. 

Gijs  strolled  up  to  his  mother  and  sat  down  on 
the  bench  beside  her.  "  I  returned  the  little 
Bushmen  to  their  lair,  and  found  that  their  parents 
had  been  there  since  I  took  the  babies  this  morning, 
for  I  saw  their  spoor.  I  do  not  hke  these  Bushmen 
prowUng  about  the  farm,  they  are  such  thieves. 
We  shall  have  to  do  something  to  chase  them  away." 

''  What  is  the  use  ?  You  drive  them  off  to-day, 
and  to-morrow  they  return  and  steal  your  best  ox." 
Tante  Let  dismissed  the  subject  with  a  wave  of  her 
hand.  "  I  am  thinking  of  going  to  Nachtmaal," 
she  continued  after  a  silence.  "It  is  two  years 
since  we  last  saw  the  inside  of  a  church,  and  we 
cannot  continue  to  Hve  like  heathens.  Jan  Brandt 
told  me  that  there  will  be  three  ministers  officiating, 
so  that  it  will  be  worth  while." 

"  When  will  Nachtmaal  be,  mother  ?  " 

"  The  first  Sunday  in  February,  so  we  have  only 


20   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

two  weeks  in  which  to  prepare  for  it.  Brandt  and 
his  family  are  going,  and  he  wants  to  know  whether 
we  will  go  in  one  party." 

"  I  suppose  you  will  take  Piet  with  you  ?  " 

"  I  should  dearly  like  to  do  so,  as  the  child  has 
never  seen  a  dorp  yet,  and  it  would  be  an  experience 
for  him,  but  you  will  have  to  go,  too,  as  the  quit-rent 
must  be  paid,  and  all  the  skins  sold.  Brandt  has 
offered  to  send  Van  der  Vyver  over  to  stop  here 
whilst  we  are  gone." 

"  In  that  case,  mother,  I  will  go  over  to  Oom  Jan 
to-morrow,  and  see  what  arrangements  they  are 
making." 

A  rumbling  of  wheels  interrupted  the  conversa- 
tion, and  a  moment  later  a  cart  drove  up  to  the 
front  door.  A  young  man  alighted  and  handed  the 
reins  to  a  Hottentot  boy,  who  hurried  forward  with 
a  smile  of  recognition.  The  young  man  walked  to 
the  stoep  shouting  to  Gijs  :  "  Here  you  are,  sitting 
down  all  the  time,  you  lazy  dog  !  I  have  not  seen 
you  for  three  days,  and  have  come  to  see  what's 
amiss.     Good-morning,  Tante." 

He  shook  hands  with  Gijs,  and  kissed  Tante  Let 
in  a  way  that  showed  how  frequent  a  visitor  he  was. 

"  How  are  all  at  home,  Wijnand  ?  "  asked  Tante 
Let. 

"  All  well,  thank  you,  Tante.  Mother  sends 
regards." 

"  I  intended  going  over  to  see  you  to-morrow," 
said  Gijs,  "  to  find  out  what  arrangements  have 
been  made  for  going  to  Nachtmaal." 

"  You  had  better  outspan  and  stop  here  for 
dinner,  Wijnand,"  interposed  Tante  Let. 


TANTE    LET  21 

Gijs  shouted  for  Jantje  and  ordered  him  to 
outspan  the  horses,  and  attend  to  them.  Tante 
Let  went  indoors  to  prepare  the  meal,  leaving  the 
two  young  men  on  the  stoep. 

Wijnand  was  the  eldest  son  of  Jan  Brandt,  of 
Boshoek,  the  nearest  farm  to  Sterkfontein.  He 
had  a  bright,  cheery  disposition,  and,  unlike  Gijs,  was 
rather  loquacious.  One  of  those  lucky  individuals 
who  have  something  to  talk  about  at  all  times,  he 
could  make  a  commonplace  topic  interesting,  and 
there  was  an  air  of  friendliness  about  him  that  seemed 
to  infect  those  in  whose  company  he  might  be. 
Tall  and  handsome,  with  a  thick  crop  of  black, 
curly  hair,  his  personal  appearance  attracted  as  well 
as  his  manner.  Gijs  was  only  of  medium  height,  fair, 
and  though  decidedly  good-looking,  lost  greatly  in 
comparison  with  Wijnand. 

Gijs,  however,  was  far  the  braver  and  more  daring 
of  the  two,  and  would  venture  on  deeds  that  would 
make  Wijnand  pause.  The  latter  was  not  by  any 
means  pusillanimous,  but  was  extremely  cautious. 
In  the  society  of  women  Wijnand  was  easily  first 
favourite,  not  only  on  account  of  his  personal 
attractions,  but  because  he  had  the  happy  knack  of 
keeping  every  one  amused  and  interested. 

Between  these  two  youths  a  very  great  friendship 
had  existed  since  childhood.  Whenever  they  met 
they  were  inseparable.  Each  had  the  other's 
perfect  confidence,  and  was  the  safe  depository  of 
secrets.  As  they  grew  up  their  love  grew  stronger, 
and  no  one  had  ever  heard  of  a  quarrel  or  misunder- 
standing between  them. 

Just  as  Gijs  was  nicknamed  David,  so  Wijnand  was 


22   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

expected  to  answer  to  Jonathan,  and  seldom  were 
they  addressed  by  their  proper  names.  Often  on 
meeting  strangers  they  were  introduced  as  David 
and  Jonathan,  but  all  this  banter  never  caused 
ill-feeling,  or  provoked  any  resentment. 

"  How  is  it  that  you  have  not  been  over  to 
Boshoek  lately  ?  I  thought  there  might  be  some- 
thing wrong,"  said  Wijnand. 

"  How  could  that  be  ?  Did  I  not  fire  one  shot 
every  morning  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  but  I  am  so  used  to  seeing  you  every  day 
that  I  became  quite  alarmed." 

It  was  the  custom  of  these  two  every  morning  to 
greet  each  other  by  firing  a  shot  which  could  be 
plainly  heard  from  farm  to  farm.  Punctually  at 
sunrise  Gijs  would  take  his  gun  and  go  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  house,  on  to  a  little  rise  from  whence 
Boshoek  could  be  seen.  If  all  was  well  he  fired  one 
shot,  which  was  promptly  replied  to  by  Wijnand. 
Should  any  one  be  sick,  or  something  extraordinary 
have  happened,  he  would  fire  two  shots,  and  if  help 
were  required  in  any  emergency,  three ;  the  effect 
of  which  was  that,  within  half  an  hour,  some  one 
from  Boshoek  would  be  on  the  spot,  and  vice 
versa. 

"  Mother  was  just  saying  that  she  is  going  to 
Nachtmaal  next  month,  and  wants  me  to  go  with 
her.    Are  you  going  ?  "  asked  Gijs. 

"  We  have  not  yet  decided.  But  if  you  have  made 
up  your  mind  to  go  I  will  ask  father  to  take  me  also. 
He  mentioned  that  he  had  promised  Tante  Let  to 
allow  Van  der  Vyver  and  his  wife  to  come  over  to 
Sterkfontein  whilst  she  is  away." 


TANTE    LET  23 

"  The  whole  neighbourhood  seems  to  be  going. 
We  shall  be  quite  a  caravan." 

"  Yes,"  laughed  Wijnand,  "  and  won't  we  make 
the  old  folks  lively  along  the  road  !  Nachtmaal 
in  town  is  the  grandest  time  one  can  have.  I  do 
look  forward  to  it." 


CHAPTER    II 

THE   POISON   DOCTOR 

ON  the  third  day  after  Wijnand's  V'isit,  whilst 
the  Uijs  family  were  sitting   at   dinner, 
Koek,  one  of  the  young  Hottentot  servants 
on  the  farm,  peered   through   the   door 
connecting  the  kitchen  with  the  dining-room,  and 
called  out,  "  Ou  nooi,"  as  though  fearing  he  might 
be  reprimanded  for  disturbing  the  diners, 

"  Ou  nooi  "  is  a  term  used  by  servants  in  address- 
ing an  old  lady,  and  is  equivalent  to  the  Enghsh 
"  Missus."  Literally  translated  it  means  "  Old 
maid,"  but  by  common  usage  among  the  Dutch  it 
has  lost  that  meaning.  In  referring  to  an  old  maid 
the  Dutch  make  use  of  the  expression  "  Ou  jong 
nooi," — old  young  maid.  Servants  speaking  to  a 
young  lady  say  "  Klein  nooi,"  little  maid.  Similarly, 
the  master  of  the  house  is  addressed  as  "  Ou  baas  " 
and  a  young  man,  "  Klein  baas." 

Xante  Let,  who  was  sitting  with  her  back  towards 
the  door,  turned  round,  and  saw  Koek  standing 
timidly  on  the  threshold. 

It  was  an  unpardonable  offence  for  any  one  of  the 
younger  servants  to  intrude  into  the  dining-room 
whilst  the  family  sat  at  table,  and  Xante  Let  knew 
that  Koek  must  have  something  very  important  to 

24 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  25 

communicate  or  he  would  not  penetrate  the  for- 
bidden region. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Koek  ?  "  she  asked,  sternly. 

"  I  have  just  returned  from  the  veld,  Ou  Nooi. 
On  the  way  I  looked  in  at  the  place  where  Baas 
Gijs  placed  the  Httle  Bushmen,  and  " — his  voice 
faltered—"  I  found  them  still  there  !  " 

"  Well,  you  stupid,  that  is  where  they  should 
be,"  answered  Tante  Let  with  an  amused  smile. 
"  Did  you  expect  them  to  run  away  ?  " 

"  But  they  are  both  dead,  Ou  Nooi !  "  said  Koek, 
solemnly,  assuming  the  guiltless  air  of  the  Hottentot 
who  means  you  to  understand  at  once  that  he  is 
in  no  way  to  blame  for  the  misfortune. 

"  Dead  !  "  exclaimed  the  whole  family  in  unison. 

"  Yes,  Ou  Nooi,  and  some  wild  beasts  have 
partly  devoured  them." 

"  All  right,  Koek.  You  can  go !  "  The  boy 
vanished  at  once,  and  closed  the  door  softly  behind 
him. 

"  I  noticed,"  said  Gijs,  "  that  the  Bushmen  had 
been  to  the  spot  during  the  interval  in  which  I  had 
the  babies  away.  Evidently  they  thought  that 
the  children  would  never  be  returned,  so  did  not  go 
back  to  see." 

"  They  thought  right,  then,"  remarked  Piet. 
"  Surely  you  don't  imagine  they  would  think  you 
took  the  children  away  for  the  mere  pleasure  of 
nursing  them  for  a  few  hours  ?  " 

"  I  feel  annoyed  about  it,"  said  Tante  Let,  looking 
at  Gijs.  "  Why  could  you  not  have  left  the  httle 
creatures  alone  ?  I  feel  that  we  are  responsible  for 
their  death,  and  my  heart  tells  me  that  we  shall 


26   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

suffer  for  this.  Send  Jantje  over  this  afternoon, 
and  tell  him  to  bury  the  bodies  decently." 

"  But,  mother,"  argued  Gijs,  "  I  cannot  see  that 
I  am  in  any  way  to  blame.  Why  did  the  Bushmen 
abandon  the  children  in  the  veld  ?  They  know  we 
farmers  rescue  the  httle  ones  and  bring  them  up, 
and  I  think  that  is  what  they  wanted.  Ten  to  one 
they  were  watching  me  from  some  secret  hiding- 
place,  and  saw  me  removing  the  children,  and 
naturally  did  not  expect  them  to  be  returned." 

At  that  moment  a  shot  rang  out  clearly  from 
the  direction  of  Boshoek.  Immediately  all  the 
diners  laid  down  their  knives  and  forks,  and  sat 
Hstening  intently,  looking  at  each  other  with 
questioning  eyes. 

They  had  not  long  to  wait  for  another  shot,  and 
Gijs  was  in  the  act  of  rising  to  send  Jantje  off  to 
enquire  the  meaning  of  it  when  a  third  shot  was 
heard.  Everybody  jumped  up  at  once,  and  Gijs 
made  a  bee-line  for  the  stable. 

Tante  Let  rushed  to  her  room  to  make  hurried 
preparations  for  going  over,  while  Gijs  was  har- 
nessing the  horses.  When  Gijs  reached  the  stable 
Jantje  was  already  bringing  the  horses  out,  for  he, 
too,  had  heard  the  shots,  and  knew  by  experience 
that  any  delay  on  his  part  would  meet  with  swift 
punishment.  No  matter  what  business  was  at 
hand,  it  had  to  be  dropped  immediately  and  the 
triple  summons  obeyed. 

As  the  horses  were  hurried  out  of  the  stable  Piet 
and  Koek  were  speeding  to  the  cart-house  to  get 
the  harness  in  readiness,  and  without  a  word  being 
spoken  the  horses  were  inspanned  and  the  cart 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  27 

driven  to  the  front  door  of  the  house  for  Tante  Let 
to  get  in. 

Short  as  was  the  time  allowed  her,  she  was  in 
readiness,  holding  a  Httle  bag  and  Gijs's  gun.  She 
got  in  at  once,  and  as  soon  as  she  was  seated,  Jantje 
jumped  up  beside  Gijs.  A  crack  of  the  whip  and 
the  horses  dashed  along  the  road  to  Boshoek. 

It  was  understood  that  the  party  summoned 
should  come  armed  with  a  gun,  and  if  possible  bring 
a  servant  with  him  to  render  such  assistance  as 
might  be  required,  in  view  of  the  uncertainty  of 
the  emergency.  As  accident  or  sudden  sickness  was 
generally  the  cause  of  the  summons,  Tante  Let 
always  formed  one  of  the  answering  party,  unless 
she  found  it  really  impossible  at  the  moment  to  go. 

As  they  approached  the  farm  they  could  see 
Wijnand  and  a  small  group  of  children  standing  by 
the  side  of  the  house  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
cart ;  from  which  fact  Tante  Let  decided  that  the 
trouble  was  inside  the  house,  as  otherwise  Wijnand 
would  not  be  standing  still. 

As  soon  as  the  cart  arrived,  Wijnand  advanced, 
and,  without  waiting  to  be  questioned,  explained 
that  Jannie,  his  eight-year-old  brother,  had  been 
bitten  by  a  puff  adder,  and  was  suffering  excruciating 
pains,  and  that  they  entertained  the  gravest  fears 
for  the  child's  life.  Tante  Let  got  out  hurriedly, 
and  turning  to  Jantje  said  "  Come." 

Jantje,  who  had  jumped  off  first,  in  order  to  stand 
at  the  head  of  the  horses,  left  his  post  and  followed 
his  mistress  into  the  house.  It  was  such  an  unheard- 
of  thing  for  a  Hottentot  to  enter  a  white  man's 
house,  that  Tante  Let's  behaviour  in  taking  Jantje 


28   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

with  her  into  the  house  requires  some  explana- 
tion. 

Jantje  was  a  type  of  that  rare  class  found  amongst 
Hottentots,  and  now  practically  extinct,  known 
to  the  Dutch  as  "  Gif doctors  "  or  poison  doctors. 
These  must  not  be  confused  with  the  witch  doctors 
of  the  Kaffirs  or  the  medicine  doctors  of  the  Indians. 
They  formed  a  distinct  class  by  themselves,  and 
differed  entirely  from  all  other  doctors. 

They  had  no  air  of  supernatural  mystery  about 
them,  and  laid  no  claim  to  any  occult  powers  or 
miraculous  performances.  They  told  no  fortunes 
and  did  not  pretend  to  discover  lost  property ; 
they  were  only  what  they  claimed  to  be — "  Poison 
doctors  "  ;  that  is,  they  had  acquired  the  power  of 
resisting  in  their  own  persons  the  effect  of  any  poison 
from  reptile  or  plant,  and  to  effect  a  cure  in  others 
who  had  been  poisoned,  unless  their  help  was 
called  in  too  late. 

The  initiation  of  a  young  Hottentot  into  the 
faculty  of  a  poison  doctor  is  a  dangerous  as  well  as 
painful  process,  and  can  only  be  done  by  one  who  is 
an  experienced  doctor  himself,  as  otherwdse  the 
novice  may  bring  about  his  own  death  in  the  early 
stages  of  probation. 

The  first  step  the  would-be  pupil  must  take  is 
to  place  himself  unreservedly  in  the  hands  of  an 
adept,  and  obey  his  commands  to  the  letter.  The 
student  is  then  inoculated  with  some  mild  vegetable 
poison  by  his  tutor  ;  which  is  done  by  cutting  the 
arms  with  sharp  pieces  of  glass  just  deep  enough 
to  draw  blood,  and  rubbing  in  the  powder  which  had 
been  specially  prepared  for  the  purpose.     The  result 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  29 

is  a  lethargic  condition  which  lasts  for  several 
days ;  and  the  same  treatment  is  repeated,  until 
the  student  is  able  to  undergo  the  operation  without 
showing  any  abnormal  signs  or  after  effects. 

Then  small  doses  of  snake  poison  are  administered, 
and  gradually  increased,  until  the  pupil  is  able  to 
swallow  the  poison  of  any  snake  \vith  impunity. 
When  this  is  accomplished  the  more  trying  ordeal 
comes  of  having  snake  poison  introduced  into  the 
blood.  This  requires  great  care  and  is  extremely 
painful. 

When  at  last  the  pupil  has  overcome  this  stage 
in  training,  and  his  teacher  is  satisfied  with  the 
progress  made,  the  last  supreme  test  is  applied  of 
stinging  the  novitiate  with  scorpions  and  later  with 
snakes.  When  all  these  various  stages  have  been 
successfully  gone  through,  and  the  pupil  has  given 
satisfactory  proof  of  immunity  from  poison,  he  passes 
to  the  ranks  of  an  adept,  and  is  thenceforth  known 
as  a  poison  doctor. 

These  poison  doctors  will  carry  live  scorpions  and 
other  poisonous  insects  in  their  breasts,  next  to  the 
naked  skin,  and  will  allow  themselves  to  be  stung 
by  these  for  the  amusement  of  onlookers. 

Should  he  meet  with  a  snake  in  the  veld,  no  matter 
how  deadly  the  variety,  the  poison  doctor  is  careful 
to  get  above  the  wind  in  order  that  the  snake  may 
smell  him.  This  is  supposed  to  paralyse  the  reptile 
to  such  an  extent  that  it  can  be  easily  captured. 

When  caught,  it  is  not  killed,  but  secured  the 
while  its  poison  is  extracted,  which  is  done  by  making 
a  slit  with  a  sharp  knife  on  each  side  of  the  head 
where  the  poison  glands  are  secreted,  and  in  such  a 


30   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

manner  as  to  force  the  glands  through  the  sUt. 
They  are  then  tied  with  cotton  or  a  piece  of  string 
so  as  to  close  the  tube  connecting  the  glands  with 
the  fangs,  and  prevent  the  hquid  poison  from  running 
out.  The  glands  are  then  cut  off  below  the  string 
and  the  snake  is  allowed  to  go  free. 

The  poison  doctor  is  never  entirely  clear  of  a 
strange  lethargy,  is  more  or  less  always  sleepy  and 
cold,  and  never  feels  better  than  when  the  summer 
sun  is  at  its  hottest. 

Jantje  was  known  as  a  poison  doctor  of  great 
fame,  having  never  lost  a  patient,  and,  besides  treat- 
ing for  snake  bites,  his  services  were  often  requisi- 
tioned in  cases  of  ordinary  blood  poisoning  and 
venomous  sores. 

When,  therefore,  Wijnand  told  Tante  Let  that 
his  httle  brother  was  bitten  by  a  puff  adder,  she 
naturally  took  Jantje  with  her  into  the  house. 

As  she  entered  and  heard  httle  Jan's  screams,  she 
required  no  one  to  guide  her  to  the  sick  room,  and 
a  most  pitiful  sight  met  her  gaze  as  she  opened  the 
door. 

Brandt  and  his  wife  were  trying  to  soothe  the 
sufferer,  who  was  writhing  about  in  a  frenzy  of 
agony.  As  soon  as  Brandt  caught  sight  of  Tante 
Let  entering,  he  exclaimed  :  "  Ah,  here  is  Tante 
Let !     Now  you  will  soon  be  well." 

Mrs.  Brandt  flew  to  Tante  Let,  and  flung  her 
arms  round  the  old  Boer  lady's  neck,  bursting  into 
a  paroxysm  of  tears.  She  had  kept  up  bravely, 
and  done  everything  that  a  mother  could  possibly 
do  under  such  trying  circumstances,  but  the  sight 
of  her  friend,  for  whose  arrival  she  had  fervently 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  31 

prayed,  was  too  much  for  her,  and  the  tears  that 
were  stifled  in  the  presence  of  the  child  could  be 
withheld  no  longer. 

"  Oh,  Tante  Let,  Tante  Let,  save  him  !  save  him  ! 
My  heart  breaks  to  see  the  poor  lamb  suffer  so 
terribly,  and  we  are  so  helpless  !  " 

Tante  Let  supported  her  for  a  moment,  whispering 
words  of  encouragement,  and  led  her  to  the  door, 
thrusting  her  gently  outside.  Going  to  the  bedside, 
she  found  Jantje  already  at  work.  He  had  care- 
fully examined  the  child's  leg,  which  was  swollen  to 
twice  its  normal  size.  The  two  punctures  made  by 
the  adder's  fangs  could  easily  be  seen  in  the  calf 
of  the  leg  near  the  ankle,  and  Brandt,  to  prevent 
the  poison  circulating,  had  tied  the  child's  leg  just 
below  the  knee  with  a  strong  riem — a  thong  cut 
from  the  hide  of  an  ox,  and  of  general  use  in  farming. 

This  evidently  caused  considerable  pain,  as  the 
child  continually  endeavoured  to  pull  it  off,  and 
begged  earnestly  for  its  removal. 

Jantje's  examination  did  not  take  one  minute. 

Moving  the  child  so  as  to  allow  the  bitten  leg  to 
hang  over  the  side  of  the  bed,  he  took  out  his 
pocket  knife,  and  with  the  small  blade  cut  a  deep 
incision  just  over  the  fang  marks,  so  as  to  open  up 
the  punctures  altogether.  The  blood  immediately 
began  to  flow  freely,  and  as  soon  as  it  did  so,  he 
motioned  to  Brandt  to  undo  the  thong. 

At  this  moment  Tante  Let  rejoined  them,  and 
snatching  a  basin  from  the  washing-stand  managed 
to  catch  up  the  blood  therein.  As  the  thong  was 
loosened  Jantje  rubbed  the  blood  towards  the  open 
wound,  and  this  he  continued  to  do,  until  he  was 


32   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

satisfied  that  he  had  let  out  most  of  the  poisoned 
blood  round  the  wound.  He  then  undid  his  "  kop- 
doek,"  and  took  from  it  a  number  of  very  small 
bundles  each  tied  in  a  little  rag,  and  handed  the 
doek  to  Tante  Let. 

A  kopdoek  is  a  piece  of  cloth  worn  by  Hottentots 
around  their  heads.  That  of  a  poison  doctor  is 
never  washed,  and  in  consequence  becomes  quite 
black  with  an  accumulation  of  perspiration  and 
dirt,  but  strange  to  say,  the  dirtier  it  becomes  the 
more  it  is  valued  by  its  owner,  and  by  those  who 
know  the  virtue  of  its  grime. 

Tante  Let,  who  knew  exactly  what  was  required, 
took  the  kopdoek,  and  soaked  a  corner  of  it  in  about 
half  a  cup  full  of  boiling  water,  and  when  it  was 
thoroughly  soaked,  she  wrung  it  out,  collecting  in 
a  saucer  the  little  stream  of  dirt  that  issued  from 
the  cloth,  until  she  had  a  couple  of  spoonfuls,  which 
she  brought  to  Jantje. 

In  the  meantime  Jantje  was  by  no  means  idle. 
Unt3dng  one  of  the  little  rag  bundles  he  produced 
a  brownish  powder,  and  taking  a  small  pinch, 
vigorously  rubbed  it  into  the  bleeding  wound. 
After  the  third  application  the  bleeding  stopped 
entirely  and  he  tied  up  the  wound  with  a  piece  of 
linen. 

Taking  the  liquid  from  Tante  Let  he  measured 
off  about  a  teaspoonful,  and  mixed  it  with  some 
water.  This  he  again  handed  to  Tante  Let,  who, 
with  much  coaxing  and  many  promises  of  childish 
treasures,  induced  little  Jan  to  swallow  it.  Within 
two  minutes  it  had  the  desired  effect.  The  little 
patient  vomited  as  if  he  would  never  stop,  and  his 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  33 

small  frame  seemed  racked  to  the  utmost,  as  it 
strained  every  effort  to  eject  from  the  stomach  the 
loathsome  and  nauseating  drug  that  had  been 
administered.  This  unpleasant  performance  lasted 
about  ten  minutes,  after  which  the  child  sank  into 
Tante  Let's  arms  limp  with  fatigue,  and  exhausted 
nature  sought  recuperation  in  sleep. 

Tante  Let  laid  him  down  gently  and  made  him 
comfortable,  while  Jantje  again  untied  the  bandages 
to  examine  the  wound. 

The  swelling  of  the  leg  had  gone  down  perceptibly, 
while  the  parts  round  the  wound  seemed  more 
inflamed.  He  gently  washed  the  blood  away  from 
the  wound  and  leg,  and  proceeded  to  rub  in  more  of 
the  powder.  The  leg  was  then  again  bound  up  and 
the  patient  left  to  sleep. 

Just  as  Jantje  was  gathering  up  his  little  bundles 
Mrs.  Brandt  tiptoed  into  the  room.  From  the 
dining-room,  where  she  had  been  sitting,  she  could 
plainly  hear  the  child's  moans  and  the  vomiting, 
and  the  sudden  cessation  of  all  sounds  created  such 
an  agony  of  uncertainty,  as  to  whether  her  child  had 
succumbed  to  the  poison,  or  fallen  asleep,  that  she 
could  restrain  herself  no  longer,  but  had  to  enter 
the  room  and  learn  the  truth. 

When  Tante  Let  saw  her  she  signed  to  her  to  be 
silent,  and  going  up  to  her  whispered  that  the  child 
was  asleep,  and  would  assuredly  be  quite  well  when 
he  awoke. 

Gijs,  Wijnand  and  the  children  were  still  standing 
outside,  waiting  with  anxious  faces  for  some  one  to 
report  progress. 

When  Jantje  at  length  came  out  by  the  kitchen 


34   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

door  he  was  immediately  surrounded  by  the  Httle 
group  who  waited  with  bated  breath  for  his  first 
words. 

"  The  klein  baas  won't  die,  but  the  poison  is  not 
yet  out  of  his  system.  He  is  asleep  now,  and  as  soon 
as  he  wakes  up,  I  will  give  him  an  antidote  that 
will  cure  him  altogether." 

This  pronouncement  was  greeted  with  various 
exclamations  of  relief  and  gratitude,  and  the  tense 
expression  vanished  from  all  faces,  for,  where  poison 
was  concerned,  Jantje's  verdict,  to  them,  was 
absolutely  reliable.  Besides,  the  mere  fact  of  his 
coming  out  of  the  house  was  a  hopeful  sign,  as  it 
was  well  known  that,  as  long  as  danger  threatened 
the  patient,  nothing  short  of  the  imperative  com- 
mand of  Tante  Let  would  ever  induce  .the  Hottentot 
to  leave  a  bedside. 

"  What  has  become  of  the  snake  ?  "  Jantje  asked. 

"  I  found  it  and  killed  it,"  said  Wijnand,  pointing 
to  where  it  was  lying  some  distance  from  the  house. 

The  whole  company  walked  over  to  it  and  watched 
Jantje  handHng  it. 

"  Why  did  you  crush  the  head.  Baas  ?  I  should 
have  hked  to  get  the  poison  bags." 

"  You  won't  catch  me  leaving  the  business  end 
of  a  snake  intact  if  I  can  help  it,"  said  Wijnand. 

"  Well,"  said  Jantje,  "  you  can  be  thankful  it 
was  a  puff  adder  and  not  a  yellow  cobra  that  bit 
the  boy,  for  then  we  would  have  been  too  late  to 
save  him." 

About  an  hour  later,  Brandt  came  out  to  tell  Jantje 
that  the  child  was  becoming  restless  again,  and  that 
Tante  Let  thought  he  should  be  awakened  to  take 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  35 

the  antidote.  Jantje  immediately  went  into  the 
house  whilst  Brandt  remained  outside  to  talk 
to  Gijs. 

Jan  Brandt  was  a  fine  specimen  of  a  well-built 
man,  tall,  broad-shouldered  and  sinewy.  His  long 
flowing  black  beard  began  to  show  streaks  of  white, 
but  the  quick  penetrating  glance  of  his  clear  black 
eyes  proved  him  to  be  still  in  the  prime  of  life. 

He  had  the  look  of  one  who  brooks  no  interference 
or  disobedience.  And  yet,  on  occasion,  this  strong 
man,  powerful  in  body  and  psychic  force,  became 
helpless  as  a  little  child,  and  leaned  upon  any  one 
for  support.  This  happened  at  times  when  the  softer 
feelings  had  full  control  of  him,  and  when  his  physical 
strength  was  at  a  discount,  and  he  needed  the 
fortitude  of  the  emotionally  strong  to  help  him. 

He  watched  Jantje  going  into  the  house,  and, 
with  tears  ghstening  in  his  eyes,  said  quietly : 
"Thank  God  for  that  Hottentot!  Thank  God!" 
Then,  pulling  himself  together,  he  turned  to  Gijs 
and  extended  his  hand.     "  How  are  you  ?  " 

Gijs  in  response  began  talking  about  sheep  and 
topics  of  daily  interest  to  farmers,  for  he  had 
noticed  the  tears  in  Brandt's  eyes,  and  endeavoured 
to  lead  his  thoughts  away. 

After  a  while,  the  question  of  going  to  Nachtmaal 
was  referred  to,  and  the  arrangements  discussed. 

"  I  saw  Neef  Piet  yesterday,  and  he  told  me 
that  he  and  his  family  are  going,  also  Gert  Coetzee 
and  his  crowd,"  said  Brandt. 

"  That  will  be  jolly,  Oom  Jan.  We  are  all  going 
in  one  company,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  of  course  it  all  depends  upon  whether 


36   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Jannie  will  be  sufficiently  recovered  to  go  with  us. 
We  will  not  go,  if  he  is  not  quite  well." 

Then,  his  thoughts  recurring  to  the  sick  room, 
he  went  indoors  to  ascertain  what  was  going  on, 
whilst  Gijs  and  Wijnand  went  towards  the  stable 
to  see  after  the  horses. 

Boshoek  was  a  very  pretty  farm,  and  in  good 
seasons  showed  to  perfection.  Its  water  supply, 
however,  was  deficient,  and  in  times  of  drought  the 
owner  had  to  move  all  live  stock  to  an  adjoining 
farm,  or  more  remote  places  where  water  could  be 
obtained. 

Owing  to  this  serious  defect  agriculture  was  out 
of  the  question,  and  supplies  of  meat  and  forage 
had  to  be  bought  in  season,  and  made  to  last 
throughout  the  year.  Still,  as  a  sheep  run,  the 
farm  was  excellent,  and,  being  very  extensive  in 
area,  made  good  the  outlay  necessitated  by  its 
want  of  water.  Brandt  acquired  this  farm  on 
quit-rent  from  the  Government,  and  had  lived  there 
since  he  was  married.  In  spite  of  occasional  droughts 
which  compelled  him  to  trek  with  his  stock  he  did 
remarkably  well. 

He  managed  to  save  sufficient  to  buy  up  two  other 
farms  adjoining,  so  that  he  was  looked  upon  as  a 
well-to-do  man,  but  as  he  possessed  a  quiverful  he 
could  not  be  counted  as  one  of  the  really  wealthy 
Boers  of  the  district. 

One  of  his  farms,  "  Kopje  Aleen,"  was  let  under 
a  ten  years'  lease  to  Piet  du  Plessis,  who  paid  a 
fairly  high  rental  for  it. 

Neef  Piet,  as  Brandt  called  him,  had  spent  a 
considerable  amount  of  money  in  opening  up  a  water 


THE    POISON    DOCTOR  37 

vein  that  traversed  the  farm,  and  in  order  to  enable 
him  to  repay  himself,  this  long  lease  was  granted. 

His  other  farm,  "  Koega,"  he  used  as  reserve 
veld  for  lambing  seasons,  and  was  managed  by  his 
"  bywoner  " — Van  der  Vyver. 

"  Gijs !  " 

It  was  Tante  Let  calling  from  the  house. 

"  Yes,  mother." 

"  You  can  get  ready  and  inspan.  It  is  time  to 
return  home." 


CHAPTER    III 

GOING   TO   NACHTMAAL 

ALL  the  farmers  in  the  neighbourhood  were 
getting  ready  for  the  projected  excursion 
to  Nachtmaal,  and  as  the  news  had  spread 
far  and  wide  that  there  would  be  three 
officiating  ministers,  many  who  were  not  so  keen 
at  first  ultimately  decided  to  go. 

To  some  of  the  distant  farmers,  this  going  to 
Nachtmaal  was  not  so  much  a  matter  of  satisfying 
the  soul's  cravings  by  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  as  the  means  of  having  a  pleasant  holiday 
to  break  the  monotony  of  two  or  three  years' 
continuous  farm  life,  and  meeting  in  town  with 
^Id  friends  and  relatives  from  different  parts 
of  the  district  who  would  usually  be  attracted 
town  wards  on  the  occasion.  To  the  younger 
generation,  not  yet  burdened  with  the  more  serious 
contemplations  of  the  risks  the  human  soul  runs 
in  being  quickened  into  fife  on  this  planet,  Nacht- 
maal simply  meant  a  round  of  festivities,  and  hence 
the  great  longing  of  all  young  people  to  be  in  town 
and  share  in  the  gaieties  of  the  time. 

As,  however,  the  farms  could  not  be  left  to  the 
care  of  the  servants,  some  one  or  other  of  the  family 
had  to  stay  at  home  to  supervise  and  attend  to 

38 


GOING   TO    NACHTMAAL  39 

things.     Generally  it  was  a  matter  of  dispute  as  to 
who  should  go  or  remain. 

Bywoners — as  white  servants  are  called  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  native  servants — were  as  a  rule 
very  obliging  in  offering  to  take  charge  of  farms 
during  the  absence  of  the  family,  expecting  in  return 
some  extra  compensation  for  the  sacrifice  thus  im- 
posed upon  them  in  having  to  forego  the  pleasure 
of  attending  church. 

Van  der  Vyver,  who,  with  the  consent  of  his 
employer  Brandt,  had  offered  to  take  charge  of 
Sterkfontein,  had  arrived  with  his  wife  and  family 
to' assist  in  the  preparations,  and  take  over  the  farm. 
He  was  a  very  simple  man,  quite  uneducated,  but 
hard-working  and  honest,  and  Xante  Let  knew  that 
she  could  safely  entrust  everything  to  him,  and 
nothing  would  be  unattended  to. 

About  four  days  after  the  occurrence  at  Boshoek, 
Piet  rode  over  on  horseback  to  learn  how  Jannie 
was  getting  on.  He  found  him  up  and  about  but 
still  limping,  and  looking  paler  than  usual. 

Jantje,  at  Brandt's  request,  had  remained  at 
Boshoek  to  attend  to  Jannie's  wound,  until  he 
could  pronounce  him  out  of  danger. 

After  Piet  had  made  the  necessary  enquiries,  and 
delivered  the  usual  greetings  of  goodwill  and  regards 
from  his  mother,  he  was  immediately  monopolized 
by  Japie,  his  special  friend.  Japie  was  only  slightly 
older  than  Piet,  being  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  the 
two  were  as  close  in  their  friendship  as  their  elder 
brothers. 

Japie  was  bursting  with  impatience  to  lay  before 
Piet    a    scheme    that    he    had    formulated,    and 


40   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

coaxed  him  out  of  the  house,  so  as  to  get  him 
alone. 

"  Man,  I  have  a  plan  that  is  just  too  jolly  for 
words,"  he  said. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Piet,  interestedly. 

"  You  see,"  went  on  Japie,  "  Father,  mother, 
and  Wijnand,  Jannie  and  the  baby,  are  going  to 
Nachtmaal,  and  of  course  I  have  to  stay  at  home 
as  usual,  there  being  no  room  for  me  in  the  cart. 
It  was  Wijnand's  turn  to  stop,  but  he  is  so  bent  upon 
going,  that  he  has  promised  me  almost  anything  if 
I  would  let  him  go,  and  remain  at  home  in  his 
stead." 

"  And  what  is  he  going  to  give  you  for  staying  ?  " 

"  He  has  not  said  yet,  but  I  am  going  to  ask  him 
for  something  which  I  am  afraid  he  will  refuse." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  Piet  was  becoming  quite  excited. 

"  You  know  how  careful  he  is  about  his  new  gun  ? 
He  won't  allow  anybody  except  Gijs  to  shoot  with 
it,  and  I  do  so  want  to  try  it  myself,  but  he  always 
refuses.  I  am  going  to  tell  him  that  if  he  allows  me 
the  use  of  the  gun  during  his  absence,  and  gives  me 
some  ammunition,  so  that  I  can  amuse  myself,  I 
will  stay." 

Piet  whistled  by  way  of  expressing  his  surprise  at 
the  audacity  of  the  scheme. 

"  But  you  must  promise  me,  Piet,  that  you  will 
also  try  to  get  Gijs's  gun,  and  stay  with  me,  other- 
wise there  will  be  no  fun." 

"  I  don't  think  mother  will  allow  it,  because  she 
wishes  me  to  attend  church.  She  says  I  am  getting 
big,  and  am  still  a  perfect  heathen." 

"  Oh,"  replied  Japie,  "  I  will  go  and  see  Tante 


GOING    TO    NACHTMAAL  41 

Let,  and  ask  her  myself.  I  will  ask  her  to  let  me 
stay  with  you  at  Sterkfontein,  for  I  am  sure  that 
Xante  Hessie  Van  der  Vyver  will  not  mind." 

Piet  was  quite  taken  up  with  the  proposition, 
and  readily  agreed  to  stay  at  home  if  his  mother 
would  consent. 

The  greatest  ambition  of  a  young  Boer,  entering 
his  teens,  is  to  own  a  gun  and  a  horse,  and  to  acquire 
these  he  will  make  any  sacrifice.  He  is  taught  to 
shoot  from  his  ninth  year,  and  by  the  time  he  is 
twelve  is  as  much  at  home  with  fire-arms  as  men 
of  long  experience.  Shooting  and  riding  constitute 
a  Boer's  only  sports,  and  consequently  he  attains 
a  high  degree  of  proficiency  in  both,  when  still  very 
youthful. 

His  horse  is  his  companion  and  friend,  and  he  soon 
knows  all  about  him,  his  speed,  strength,  staying 
power,  vices  or  virtues,  and  can  tell  his  every  mark 
and  point. 

In  buying  a  gun  a  young  farmer  makes  the  most 
minute  and  critical  examination  of  lock,  stock  and 
barrel,  and  will  never  dream  of  closing  a  bargain 
before  he  has  tested  its  accuracy  by  actual  shooting. 

When  at  length  the  gun  is  bought  it  becomes 
almost  sacred  to  its  purchaser.  It  is  handled  with 
the  greatest  care,  regarded,  indeed,  with  affection, 
and  is  carefully  trained  to  the  owner's  requirements, 
that  is  to  say,  the  sight  is  aligned  to  a  nicety  in 
readiness  for  lowering  or  raising  as  the  gun  shoots 
high  or  low.  The  pull  of  the  trigger  is  regulated 
until  it  responds  to  the  required  strength,  and, 
when  necessary,  the  barrel  is  bent  until  the  weapon 
is  perfectly  true  in  every  respect. 


42   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

To  borrow  such  a  gun  from  a  Boer  is  to  put  his 
friendship  to  a  very  severe  test,  and  it  is  a  common 
saying  among  Boers  that  a  horse,  a  gun,  and  a  wife 
are  three  things  that  should  never  be  lent  out. 

It  was  therefore  with  genuine  surprise  that  Piet 
hstened  to  Japie's  intention  of  asking  Wijnand  for 
the  loan  of  his  gun. 

Early  the  following  morning  Japie  arrived  at 
Sterkfontein  to  interview  Tante  Let,  and  Piet  could 
see  by  the  happy  expression  on  his  face  that  he  had 
succeeded  with  Wijnand. 

"  How  did  you  manage  to  get  Wijnand's  gun  ?  " 
was  Piet's  first  question. 

"  Last  night  when  he  came  from  Kopje  Aleen,  I 
saw  that  he  was  more  anxious  than  ever  to  go  to 
town,  so  I  pretended  that  I  had  made  up  my  mind 
not  to  stay  at  home,  as  it  was  four  years  since  I  had 
last  been  in  a  dorp.  Wijnand  pleaded  with  me, 
and  said  he  would  bring  me  a  nice  present,  but  I 
complained  that  I  would  be  too  lonely  on  the  farm 
as  I  had  not  even  a  gun  with  which  to  amuse  myself. 
The  bait  took,  and  he  immediately  offered  me  his 
gun  and  ammunition." 

The  little  schemer  laughed  heartily  at  the  idea  of 
having  wheedled  his  brother  into  compliance. 

"  As  soon  as  I  found  out  that  Nettie  du  Plessis 
was  going  with  her  parents  I  knew  that  I  should 
get  the  gun,  because  Wijnand  has  lately  been 
looking  for  any  pretext  to  go  to  Kopje  Aleen." 
And  he  smiled  knowingly  at  Piet. 

Japie  approached  Tante  Let  in  fear  and  trembling 
to  make  his  request,  and  a  bad  half-hour  he  had 
with  her,  as  she  pointedly  refused,  sajdng  that  Piet's 


GOING    TO    NACHTMAAL  43 

religious  education  was  sadly  neglected  and  that  she 
would  have  to  answer  for  it  in  the  hereafter. 

Piet  retired  crestfallen,  and  when,  later,  the  two 
boys  were  called  in  to  dinner,  they  looked  the  picture 
of  juvenile  dejection. 

They  had,  however,  an  unexpected  champion  in 
Tante  Hessie,  who  pleaded  their  cause  so  effectively 
that  Tante  Let  at  last  gave  in  on  being  assured  that 
the  boys  would  be  well  looked  after,  and  that  it 
would  be  a  real  pleasure,  as  well  as  a  help,  to  Van 
der  Vyver  to  have  them  on  the  farm. 

Their  faces  lightened  up  at  once  as  they  promised 
to  be  models  of  goodness  and  propriety,  and  Tante 
Let,  seeing  how  the  boys  immediately  recovered 
their  spirits,  felt  happy  that  she  had  relented. 

As  soon  as  dinner  was  over  the  boys  saddled  their 
horses,  and  rode  over  to  Boshoek  to  get  the  per- 
mission of  Japie's  parents  for  him  to  stay  with  Piet 
at  Sterkfontein. 

"  Mother,"  said  Gijs,  "  we  have  only  a  few  days 
in  which  to  make  ready,  and  I  am  afraid  our  waggon 
is  not  large  enough  to  hold  all  the  produce  and  accom- 
modate us  also.  We  shall  either  have  to  take  the 
cart  as  well  for  you  and  me,  and  let  the  boys  follow 
in  the  waggon,  or  I  must  borrow  a  larger  waggon." 

"  In  any  case  our  waggon  will  be  too  small,  so 
you  had  better  go  over  to  Kopje  Aleen  and  ask 
Nief  Piet  for  the  loan  of  his  buck  waggon,  if  he  is 
not  using  it  himself." 

Gijs  was  preparing  to  drive  over  that  afternoon 
when  Jantje  arrived  from  Boshoek  and  told  him 
that  du  Plessis,  who  had  gone  over  to  Boshoek  just 
as  he  was  leaving,  had  sent  word  that  he  would  come 


44   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

to  Sterkfontein  for  the  night,  as  he  wished  to  know 
whether  Gijs  could  take  some  things  into  town  for 
him. 

"  Is  the  Baas  riding  ?  " 

"  No,  klein  Baas,  he  came  over  in  his  buggy,  and 
the  klein  nooi  is  with  him." 

Gijs  said  nothing,  but  his  heart  began  to  beat 
fast,  for  he  had  one  great  secret  that  he  dared  not 
even  impart  to  Wijnand,  and  that  secret  was — 
Nettie  du  Plessis  ! 

Gijs  was  in  love  with  her ;  deeply,  sincerely  in 
love,  and  in  all  his  day-dreams  and  castles  in  the 
air  Nettie  was  queen,  goddess,  idol. 

Nettie's  feminine  instinct  had  long  since  told 
her  the  secret,  and  she  often  wondered  that  Gijs 
never  made  any  reference  to  his  feehng  for  her,  not 
even  when  opportunity  and  the  drift  of  conversation 
favoured  the  attempt. 

Time  and  time  again  Gijs  meant  to  speak,  but 
when  occasion  threw  the  pair  together  he  became 
helplessly  tongue-tied  as  though  he  were  a  mute. 

How  he  hated  himself  for  his  cowardice  and  detest- 
able timidity  !  She  would  never  guess,  he  thought, 
how  deeply  he  loved  her,  and  there  was  always 
the  chance  that  she  might  become  engaged  to  some 
one  else. 

Nettie  felt  irritated  at  Gijs's  silence,  for  she  had  a 
real  hking  for  him,  and,  womanlike,  was  longing  for 
a  declaration  from  a  man  who  she  knew  was  not 
a  trifier.  Besides,  Wijnand  was  also  showing  her 
marked  attention,  and  though  she  by  no  means 
disliked  him,  she  felt  that  Wijnand  would  speak 
out  soon,  and,  knowing  that  that  would  for  ever 


GOING   TO    NACHTMAAL  45 

seal  Gijs's  lips,  she  made  up  her  mind  not  to  give  him 
an  opportunity  of  doing  so,  until  she  was  certain 
about  Gijs's  feelings. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  she  and  her 
father  arrived  at  Sterkfontein  to  spend  the  evening 
there. 

Both  Tante  Let  and  Gijs  advanced  to  the  cart 
as  it  stopped,  to  welcome  the  comers. 

"  Ah  !  Neef  Piet,"  said  Tante  Let,  smiHng,  "  I 
was  looking  out  for  the  first  signs  of  rain,  but  did 
not  expect  it  in  this  pleasant  form." 

Du  Plessis,  who  understood  the  allusion  to  the 
rarity  of  his  visits,  laughed  pleasantly,  and  heartily 
shook  the  hands  extended  to  him. 

"  It  is  kind  of  you  to  say  so,  Tante,  but  to  be  on 
the  safe  side  I  brought  Nettie  with  me,  in  case  you 
would  not  acknowledge  me  any  longer." 

"  You've  done  well,  and,  as  usual,  you  are  full  of 
resource."  They  all  laughed  merrily  and  walked 
towards  the  house,  while  Jantje  took  charge  of  the 
cart  and  horses. 

Nettie  was  bright  and  chatty,  and  kept  the  whole 
company  in  good  spirits  with  her  sallies  of  wit  and 
fun.  Gijs  had  httle  to  say,  but  was  all  eyes,  and 
when  once  or  twice  Nettie  saw  his  unconcealed 
admiration  for  her,  the  colour  mounted  to  her 
cheeks,  and  momentarily  confused  her  in  what  she 
was  saying.  "  If  his  tongue  were  as  eloquent  as 
his  eyes,"  she  thought  to  herself,  "  how  pleasant  it 
would  be  to  listen  to  him." 

Nettie  was  already  nineteen,  and  among  the 
Boers  that  is  considered  high  time  for  a  girl  to  be 
settled  down  with  a  husband.    As  a  rule,  girls  are 


46   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

confirmed  as  members  of  the  Church  when  they  are 
sixteen,  and  from  that  moment  suitors  are  welcomed 
and  encouraged. 

Nettie  was  in  no  hurry  to  get  married.  Of  suitors 
she  had  many,  but  not  only  had  she  never  been 
stirred  into  any  semblance  of  love  by  them,  but 
she  felt  that  she  had  not  yet  been  addressed  by 
any  one  who  was  really  attached  to  her,  so  that 
the  declarations  she  received  filled  her  with 
aversion  and  disgust,  as  being  counterfeit  and 
ungenuine. 

She  was  not  a  beauty  in  face.  On  the  contrary, 
many,  at  first  sight,  would  call  her  plain,  and, 
being  quite  unacquainted  with  the  sophistries  of 
fashion,  she  did  nothing  to  enhance  her  natural 
graces. 

She  had  an  abundant  crop  of  long,  auburn  hair, 
which  had  those  precious  tints  that  come  and  go  in 
flashes.  Her  mouth  was  perfect  as  to  shape  and 
curve  of  Hp,  and  its  healthy  red  contrasted  beauti- 
fully with  her  small  white  teeth. 

Where  she  made  up  for  any  facial  defects  was 
in  the  magnificent  figure  with  which  Nature  had 
blessed  her.  Though  not  tall,  she  was  erect  and 
very  stately,  and  the  firm  bust,  so  indispensable 
to  the  perfect  female  figure,  was  hers  in  the  fulness 
of  beauty. 

What  most  attracted  men  to  her  was  an  arresting 
congeniality,  a  magnetic  atmosphere  that  defied 
definition,  but  which,  nevertheless,  exercised  a  far 
more  potent  influence  than  does  mere  physical 
perfection. 

Once  under  the  spell  of  her  unconscious  attraction 


GOING   TO    NACHTMAAL  47 

men  naturally  gravitated  towards  her  as  moths  to 
the  hght. 

Always  overflowing  with  fun  and  laughter,  she 
did  not  know  what  seriousness  meant.  Xante  Let 
often  said  that  half  an  hour  in  Nettie's  society 
was  enough  to  banish  melancholy  for  a  week. 

Despite  this  lightness  of  heart,  there  was  nothing 
superficial  in  the  girl's  nature,  and  all  her  friendships 
and  affections  were  stedfastly  cherished  and  pre- 
served, even  though  the  object  of  her  regard  fell 
under  a  cloud  of  ill-report  or  adversity.  This  trait 
in  her  character  was  well  known  to  all  Nettie's 
acquaintances,  and  few  ever  dared  to  indulge  in 
scandal  in  her  presence. 

Nettie  thought  most  highly  of  Gijs,  and  had  he 
summoned  up  sufficient  courage  to  propose,  she 
would  undoubtedly  have  accepted  him,  but  she  saw 
quite  clearly  that,  for  some  reason  unknown  to  her, 
and  although  he  appeared  to  be  in  love,  he  restrained 
himself.  She  knew  that  he  was  by  nature  extra- 
ordinarily shy,  but  could  not  bring  herself  to  believe 
that  shyness  was  the  only  reason  holding  the  young 
Boer  back,  and  often  worried  herself  in  trying  to 
find  out  what  the  real   cause  might  be. 

Wijnand  she  also  liked  very  greatly,  but  somehow 
she  preferred  Gijs,  although  she  did  not  quite 
understand  why.  Perhaps,  had  the  latter  been 
more  demonstrative  she  would  have  Uked  him  less. 
It  was  his  reserve  and  aloofness  that  piqued  and 
interested  her. 

Truth  to  tell,  Nettie,  although  preferring  Gijs 
to  Wijnand,  found  herself  in  a  dilemma  as  to  which 
of  the  two  she  could  really  love  best,  and  this  proved 


48   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

to  her  mind  that  she  did  not  love  either  sufficiently 
to  justify  marriage. 

"  Oh,  bother  it !  "  she  often  exclaimed  to  herself, 
"  I  shall  leave  it  to  fate  whether  I  shall  marry 
either  or  neither,  since  I  cannot  have  both,"  and  she 
would  laugh  at  her  own  folly  in  causing  herself  so 
much  perplexity. 

Du  Plessis  himself  entertained  a  secret  hope  that 
Gijs  would  marry  Nettie,  and  it  was  with  some 
misgivings  that  he  saw  how  frequent  Wijnand's 
visits  were  becoming  ;  but  he  was  too  wise  a  man  to 
speak  to  Nettie  about  it,  knowing  that  parental 
opposition  to  a  suitor  is  fatal.  He,  therefore, 
determined  to  say  nothing  at  all,  but  to  try  to  bring 
Nettie  and  Gijs  together  as  much  as  possible  and 
leave  the  issue  to  chance. 

That  night  at  supper  they  discussed  all  Nachtmaal 
arrangements.  Gijs  was  to  come  over  with  his 
trek-gear  and  oxen  and  fetch  du  Plessis's  buck- 
waggon,  and  at  the  same  time  load  up  some  bundles 
of  sheepskins  that  he  had  promised  to  take  to  town 
with  him. 

After  supper,  and  before  the  table  was  cleared, 
Gijs,  as  was  his  wont,  took  up  the  family  Bible  and 
handed  round  some  hymn-books  that  showed  signs 
of  long  use.  With  a  steady  voice  he  read  one  of 
David's  psalms,  and  when  he  finished  it,  he  asked 
du  Plessis  to  offer  up  a  prayer.  No  sooner  was  this 
ended  than  Tante  Let,  in  a  shrill  soprano,  started 
singing  a  psalm,  which  they  all  knew  and 
joined  in : 

Prys  den  Heer  met  blijde  galmen 
Gij  myn  ziel  hebt  rijke  stof. 


GOING   TO    NACHTMAAL  49 

The  next  morning  Gijs  began  to  make  prepara- 
tions for  the  trip  to  town.  As  it  was  a  full  year  since 
he  had  last  been  there,  a  great  quantity  of  produce 
had  accumulated,  and  this  he  had  to  take  with  him 
to  be  converted  into  money. 

There  were  about  three  hundred  sheep  and  goat 
skins,  besides  a  quantity  of  ox  hides  to  be  sorted  out, 
and  neatly  tied  into  bales,  so  as  to  admit  of  easy 
packing  into  the  waggon. 

Sterkfontein  yielded  about  five  hundred  bags 
of  wheat  every  year,  and  this,  besides  the  progeny 
of  her  stock,  constituted  Tante  Let's  chief  income. 

Her  neighbours,  as  a  rule,  bought  up  most  of  her 
wheat,  and  the  balance  she  sent  to  town.  From  her 
last  season  she  still  had  about  two  hundred  bags  on 
hand,  and  these  had  to  be  sold  before  harvesting 
commenced  again. 

There  was  also  going  to  be  a  church  bazaar  in 
town,  to  which  Tante  Let  was  expected  to  contribute 
handsomely.  As  she  was  presenting  wheat,  Gijs  had 
to  take  a  sufticient  quantity  to  meet  all  requirements, 
and  he  had  to  borrow  a  larger  waggon  than  they 
owned. 

What  with  going  over  to  Kopje  Aleen  to  fetch 
the  waggon,  staying  a  day  there,  sorting  skins, 
baling  them,  loading  wheat  and  generally  ordering 
things  on  the  farm,  and  instructing  Van  der  Vyver 
in  his  duties,  Gijs  ha.d  a  few  very  busy  days  previous 
to  their  departure. 

Tante  Let  and  Van  der  Vyver' s  wife  were  equally 
busy.  Food  supplies  had  to  be  prepared  for  the 
trip,  for  things  were  expensive  in  town,  and  as  Tante 
Let  was  well  stocked  with  all  that  was  required, 


50   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

it  would  have  been  folly  to  spend  money  on  what 
she  had  in  abundance. 

Hampers  full  of  cakes,  as  well  as  bread,  and  a  bag 
full  of  biscuits  had  to  be  baked.  Meat  had  to  be 
dried  and  preserved,  poultry  and  pigs  killed  and 
cured,  and  a  thousand  and  one  other  duties  attended 
to,  such  as  the  overhauling  of  Gijs's  wardrobe,  as  well 
as  her  own ;  washing,  ironing,  mending,  darning, 
and  what  not. 

The  day  previous  to  starting,  Japie  came  over, 
proudly  holding  Wijnand's  gun,  to  take  up  his  abode 
with  Piet,  and  told  Tante  Let  that  all  was  in  readi- 
ness at  Boshoek,  and  that  the  whole  party  would 
be  at  Sterkfontein  at  about  eight  o'clock  the  next 
morning — it  being  on  their  way  to  town. 

Gijs  was  astir  very  early  to  attend  to  the  sheep, 
and  regulate  things  generally  for  Van  der  Vyver, 
to  give  final  orders  to  servants,  and  complete  the 
loading  of  the  waggon  with  the  food  supplies  and 
bedding,  besides  a  multitude  of  smaller  things,  held 
over  to  the  last  minute. 

It  was  a  day's  journey  by  waggon  to  town,  and, 
with  the  usual  delays  of  business  combined  with 
pleasure,  it  generally  involved  an  absence  of  ten 
or  twelve  days. 

Punctually  at  eight  the  party  arrived.  They  were 
seen  coming,  as  soon  as  they  left  Boshoek,  and 
Gijs  had  arranged  to  have  the  waggon  and  cart 
inspanned  and  ready  to  join  them  without  any 
unnecessary  delay. 

A  short  halt  was  called  and  the  whole  party 
gathered  in  the  house  for  a  cup  of  coffee.  The 
women  kissed  each  other,  the  men  shook  hands, 


GOING    TO    NACHTMAAL  51 

and  there  was  a  babel  of  voices  and  laughing,  enough 
to  make  any  one  wish  to  join  the  merry  party. 

There  were  Brandt  and  his  wife,  with  Wijnand 
and  Jannie,  besides  four  other  children  ;  Du  Plessis, 
his  wife,  Nettie  and  a  younger  brother;  Coetzee, 
with  his  wife  and  two  grown-up  daughters;  and 
a  family  of  the  name  of  Venter,  consisting  of  father, 
mother,  a  strapping  daughter  and  two  grown-up 
sons. 

Tante  Let  and  Du  Plessis  alone  travelled  by  cart, 
all  the  others  went  in  the  ox  waggons.  These 
waggons  were  loaded  to  their  utmost  capacity  with 
all  sorts  of  produce,  but  at  the  back  of  the  waggon 
was  left  a  space,  covered  over  by  a  low  canopy,  for 
the  family  to  huddle  in. 

This  mode  of  travelHng  is  by  no  means  convenient, 
and  one  unaccustomed  to  it  is  apt  to  contract  cramp 
from  sitting  too  long  in  the  same  position,  but  those 
who  are  used  to  it  make  themselves  comfortable, 
and  are  quite  at  home. 

When  they  were  ready  to  start  Gijs  proposed 
that  the  old  people  should  occupy  the  two  carts, 
which  could  easily  accommodate  them,  and  that 
the  young  folk  should  distribute  themselves  amongst 
the  waggons. 

This  was  eagerly  assented  to  by  young  and  old 
alike,  and  the  party  forthwith  proceeded  to  take 
their  seats. 

Wijnand  had  a  concertina  on  which  he  was  an 
expert  player,and  without  which  he  seldom  travelled 
long  distances.  He  also  had  a  guitar  on  which  Gijs 
had  learned  to  strum  chords  in  accompaniment 
to   Wijnand' s   playing   on   the   concertina.     These 


52   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

he  brought  with  him  to  beguile  the  tedious  hours 
of  the  long  journey  over  the  Karroo,  and,  as  soon 
as  all  were  seated,  and  the  word  given  to  start,  he 
took  up  the  concertina  and  began  playing  a  hvely 
waltz. 

Thus,  with  laughter  and  talking,  and  shouting 
good-byes  to  those  remaining  behind,  the  cracks 
of  the  whip  and  the  strains  of  the  waltz,  the  happy 
procession  at  last  formed  into  line  and  began  its 
journey. 

When  they  were  gone  a  few  hundred  yards,  Piet 
and  Japie  came  out  of  the  house,  each  with  a  gun, 
and  fired  two  shots  after  the  retreating  party  as  a 
valediction,  while  Jantje,  who  also  had  to  remain 
behind,  at  the  same  time  waved  his  coat  over  his 
head. 


CHAPTER    IV 

VICTORIA   WEST 

VICTORIA  WEST,  a  typical  Karroo  dorp, 
is  situated  in  a  hollow,  between  two 
mountains  almost  touching  each  other, 
and  forming  a  narrow  poort  on  the  west 
side  of  the  town  that  could  easily  be  connected  by 
a  wall  scarcely  a  hundred  yards  long.  So  cramped 
in  is  the  town  by  the  surrounding  mountains  that 
extension  to  the  north,  south,  and  west  is  impossible, 
and,  as  building  on  the  east  means  going  farther 
and  farther  away  from  the  business  centre,  ground 
in  that  direction  has  become  almost  unsaleable. 

As  the  water  supply  is  poor  and  the  monopoly 
of  a  small  number  of  water-erf  holders,  tentative 
attempts  at  tree-planting  ended  as  they  began,  but 
for  all  its  barren  appearance  Victoria  West  compares 
favourably  with  other  Karroo  towns,  and  has 
always  been  considered  a  good  business  centre. 

In  Tante  Let's  time  it  only  boasted  about  fifty 
buildings  all  told,  and  these  of  a  very  crude  and 
unpretentious  description.  Still,  to  the  young  Kar- 
roo farmer  of  those  days,  who  had  seen  nothing  more 
imposing  than  a  farm,  Victoria  West  was  a  wonderful 
place  of  activity  and  life. 

For  the  greater  part  of  the  year  the  town  seemed 
53 


54   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

half  asleep,  and  everybody  in  it  listless  and  heavy, 
as  though  hfe  offered  nothing  worth  living  for ; 
but  when  Nachtmaal  came  round  it  suddenly  woke 
up  from  its  lethargy  and  assumed  an  aspect  of 
bustle  quite  foreign  to  its  usual  comatose  condition. 

For  several  days  previous,  the  store-keepers  were 
busy  displaying  their  wares  to  the  best  advantage 
for  the  allurement  of  the  Tantes  and  Nichtjes  who 
were  sure  to  come  from  distant  farms  to  lay  in  a 
stock  of  clothes  and  fineries. 

Outside,  the  clerks  were  busily  weighing  skins, 
wool,  corn,  and  other  produce,  and  haggling  over 
the  prices  and  market  rates. 

On  the  Church  Square  the  local  auctioneer  was 
shouting  himself  hoarse  to  a  small  crowd,  to  whom 
he  was  trying  to  sell  a  conglomeration  of  wares, 
ranging  from  a  frying-pan  to  a  span  of  oxen. 
Farther  up  the  street  a  stream  of  men  and  women 
and  servants  were  entering  the  Church  Hall,  laden 
with  baskets,  bags  and  canisters,  preparing  for  the 
bazaar  in  aid  of  the  ecclesiastical  exchequer. 

Standing  round  the  church  was  a  group  of  men 
dressed  in  ill-fitting  long  frock  coats,  which  pro- 
claimed them  to  be  the  elders  and  deacons  come  to 
attend  a  vestry  meeting  with  the  Predikant.  They 
constituted  the  much-dreaded  Kerkraad  of  the 
Dutch  Church,  which  formerly  exercised  so  much 
power  and  influence  over  their  congregation,  but 
has  of  late  years  become  solely  a  board  for  the 
management  of  finance  and  investigating  interesting 
bits  of  scandal. 

Looking  at  the  faces  of  these  men  one  would  con- 
clude   from  their    expressions   that  to  them  was 


VICTORIA    WEST  55 

assigned  the  task  of  stamping  out  sin,  root  and 
branch,  from  the  earth,  so  serious  and  solemn  were 
they — for  all  the  world  as  though  they  expected  at 
any  moment  to  find  themselves  in  close  combat 
with  Satan  himself. 

Their  ideas  of  sin  were  as  incongruous  as  their 
conceptions  of  duty  were  inconsistent.  John  might 
drag  Peter  through  law  court  after  law  court, 
ruining  him  body  and  soul,  and  the  Kerkraad  would 
not  interfere,  but  should  little  Janet  have  loved  not 
wisely  but  too  well,  forgetting  the  necessary  blessing 
of  the  church,  then,  oh  then,  the  Kerkraad  could  not 
call  a  special  meeting  quickly  enough  to  weigh  up 
the  enormity  of  Janet's  sin  and  purge  the  church 
from  unholy  iniquity,  which  was  accomplished 
by  placing  the  girl  under  a  solemn  ban  pronounced 
from  the  pulpit. 

It  is  the  ambition  of  each  young  Boer  some  day  to 
be  elected  a  member  of  this  Kerkraad,  and  if  he  is 
well-to-do  he  will  sooner  or  later  be  invested  with 
the  frock  coat  and  white  tie.  If,  however,  he  has 
to  work  hard  for  a  livelihood  his  chances  of  election 
are  small. 

Of  course  to  become  a  "Predikant"  is  to  reach 
the  acme  of  respectability,  but  this  High  Priestly 
office  is  reserved  for  those  who  have  suificient  means 
to  study  at  a  theological  college. 

As  this  group  was  collecting  round  the  church, 
Tante  Let  and  Nettie  passed  by  on  their  way  to  the 
bazaar.  They  nodded  to  the  men  whom  they  knew, 
and  just  at  that  moment  the  Rev.  Liliefeldt  came 
up  to  the  elders  and  deacons  awaiting  his  presence 
to  commence  the  meeting. 


56   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Good  gracious,  Tante  Let !  "  exclaimed  Nettie, 
"  do  notice  the  expressions  on  the  men's  faces  ! 
I  know  every  elder  and  deacon  among  them,  and 
marvel  how  they  manage  to  appear  so  saintly. 
The  Predikant  looks  as  though  he  had  just  been  en- 
trusted by  Heaven  with  a  new  commandment, 
commencing,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord.'  " 

"  Nettie,  how  can  you  say  such  things  ?  "  re- 
monstrated Tante  Let, 

"  It  is  true,  Tante  Let.  Look  at  the  elders  with 
their  '  pity-my-simplicity  '  air  !  Isn't  it  too  ridicu- 
lous ?  " 

"  Nettie,  Nettie,  child,  you  must  not  speak  so. 
It  is  very  wicked."  But  in  spite  of  her  words 
Tante  Let  could  not  help  smihng. 

Every  nook  and  corner  of  the  town  was  occupied, 
and  there  were  many  who  could  not  find  accommo- 
dation. Farmers  learn  very  early  the  need  of 
providing  temporary  shelters,  and  the  majority 
brought  with  them  the  large  tarpaulins  which  are 
used  for  covering  loaded  ox-waggons  in  rainy 
seasons.  A  tarpaulin  thrown  over  an  empty  wag- 
gon reaches  to  the  ground  on  either  side  and  forms 
a  comfortable,  if  somewhat  crude,  tent,  dust-proof 
and  watertight. 

At  the  east  end  of  the  town  quite  a  number  of 
waggons  had  collected,  each  covered  with  the  service- 
able tarpaulin ;  and  as  these  waggons  were  drawn 
up  close  to  each  other  and  arranged  with  an  eye  to 
forming  a  semicircle,  they  not  only  formed  a 
picturesque  sight,  but  tended  to  bring  all  the  occu- 
pants of  the  waggons  together,  and  promote  fellow- 
ship and  good  feeling  amongst  them. 


VICTORIA    WEST  57 

Although  Tante  Let  possessed  a  little  house  in 
town,  known  as  a  church  house — being  only 
occupied  on  church  occasions — her  waggon,  as 
well  as  the  waggons  of  Brandt,  Venter,  and  Coetzee, 
formed  part  of  the  semicircle,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Tante  Let,  Nettie,  Brandt  and  his  wife,  who 
slept  in  the  cottage,  all  the  others  lived  and  slept  in 
their  waggon  tents. 

So  happy  and  comfortable  did  the  crowd  at  the 
waggons  make  themselves,  that  many  of  the  young 
people  from  town  spent  the  evenings  with  them  in 
merry-making,  and  kept  up  the  fun  till  late  at  night. 
These  waggon  parties  were  the  chief  feature  of  the 
Nachtmaal,  and  were  looked  forward  to  by  the 
younger  generation  of  both  town  and  district.  Their 
parents  also  found  much  enjoyment  in  taking  a 
stroll  down  to  the  waggons  in  the  evening  to  watch 
the  young  folk,  and  occasionally  joining  in  the  fun 
going  forward. 

Tante  Let  and  her  party  reached  town  early  on 
Thursday  afternoon,  and,  as  was  customary,  the 
waggons  were  first  driven  up  to  the  shop  to  deposit 
their  loads. 

It  is  a  peculiar  and  unaccountable  trait  in  the 
Boer  character,  that  he  much  prefers  to  do  business 
with  an  EngHshman  or  a  Jew  than  with  a  fellow- 
Dutchman.  Whether  it  is  the  unadaptabihty  of  the 
Cape  Dutchman  for  mercantile  business,  or  his  want 
of  tact  in  deahng  with  customers,  certain  it  is  that 
the  average  young  Boer  has  a  fine  contempt  for  any 
Dutch  business  house,  and  never  by  any  chance 
gives  a  Dutch  firm  his  undivided  support. 

Perhaps  it  is  because  the  Dutch  winkel,  or  shop. 


58   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

as  a  rule,  presents  an  appearance  of  untidiness 
which  somehow  creates  the  impression  that  the 
stock  is  antiquated  and  lacks  that  atmosphere  of 
newness  and  up-to-dateness  which  is  so  essential  to 
the  increase  of  custom. 

The  commercial  Jew  is  irresistible  to  the  Boer, 
for  what  he  lacks  in  personal  cleanliness  he  makes 
up  in  tact.  By  flattery  and  cajolery  he  generally 
manages  to  coax  the  Boer  into  buying  many  articles 
he  does  not  require. 

In  Tante  Let's  time  there  were  only  three  shops  in 
Victoria  West,  the  largest  of  which  was  owned  by  a 
worthy  Hebrew  named  Herman  Tugendreich.  As 
this  name  was  quite  beyond  the  linguistic  attain- 
ments of  the  Boer,  he  was  generally  known  and 
addressed  as  "  Tukie."  A  more  shrewd  business 
man  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine.  He  was  liked 
by  old  and  young,  black  and  white,  and  consequent- 
ly he  did  a  large  trade,  and  was  on  the  high  road  to 
opulence  and  ease. 

Tukie  was  short  and  stout,  and  not  over-prepossess- 
ing in  appearance,  but  he  was  the  best  natured  man 
known.  Children  would  chaff  him  as  he  passed  in 
the  street,  and  women  always  had  a  word  to  say  to 
him,  teasing  him  about  his  celibacy.  Only  the 
men  considered  him  a  good-natured  fool. 

Tukie  was  never  known  to  lose  his  temper  at 
anything  or  anybody,  but  met  all  gibes  and  pleasant- 
ries at  his  expense  with  a  smile  ;  consequently,  no 
one  ever  got  angry  with  him.  But,  withal,  Tukie 
had  brains — keen  business  brains,  and  his  store  was 
the  envy  of  neighbouring  storekeepers.  His  methods 
of  making  money  were  a  mystery  to  all,  for  he  in- 


VICTORIA    WEST  59 

variably  undersold  others,  and  always  paid  a  frac- 
tion more  for  the  produce  he  purchased  than  any 
other  dealer. 

There  was  only  one  flaw  in  Tukie's  business 
capacity.  He  was  such  a  wretched  mathematician 
that  he  frequently  made  disastrous  mistakes  in  his 
accounts,  and  more  often  than  not  threw  the  day  of 
the  month  and  the  year  into  the  money  column  to  be 
added  up  in  the  total.  The  average  Boer  of  the 
period  would  do  anything,  and  pay  any  sum,  rather 
than  tackle  the  herculean  task  of  adding  up  two 
or  three  sheets  of  figures,  and  consequently,  in  the 
majority  of  cases,  the  error  remained  undiscovered. 

Should,  however,  such  a  regrettable  mistake  be 
brought  to  Tukie's  notice,  he  was  so  profuse  in  his 
apologies,  so  sincere  in  his  condemnation  of  his 
methods,  that  he  was  always  forgiven — especially  as 
he  at  once  refunded  over-payments,  and  penalized 
himself  by  handing  the  injured  customer  a  valuable 
present  as  well. 

Where  Tukie  scored  over  his  competitors  was  in 
the  excellently  managed  little  refreshment-room  at 
the  back  of  the  shop.  Therein  could  always  be 
found  a  barrel  of  good  brandy,  and  another  of  a 
sweetish  wine.  If  a  customer  had  been  buying 
steadily  for  some  time  and  showed  ominous  signs 
of  fatigue,  he  would  be  convoyed  in  the  most  sym- 
pathetic manner  to  the  back  room  and  served  with 
such  refreshment  as  was  calculated  to  revive  the 
drooping  spirit.  After  this  pleasant  pick-me-up  and 
rejuvenating  interval,  business  proceeded  again  with 
renewed  energy, 

Tukie,  of  course,  knew  all  his  customers  well,  and 


6o   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

some  he  would  not  dare  offer  any  refreshments  on 
the  premises.  To  such  he  would  send  a  bottle 
\\dth  the  goods  bought,  and  the  said  bottle  was  never 
once  "  returned  with  thanks  !  " 

To  women  he  would  give  presents  of  sweets, 
handkercliiefs  or  snuff,  and  in  some  cases,  a  bottle 
of  sweet  wine  would  not  be  deemed  amiss. 

Whether  this  made  his  shop  popular,  or  whether  it 
was  simply  that  his  goods  and  prices  gave  more 
satisfaction  is  not  certain,  but  the  fact  remained 
that  he  did  the  best  business  in  town,  at  that  time, 
and  at  Nachtmaal  especially  his  shop  would  be 
crowded  from  early  morning  till  late  at  night. 

As  Gijs  arrived  with  his  waggon,  Tukie  went  up  to 
him  to  extend  the  usual  greeting. 

"  I  hope  you  have  brought  me  a  lot  of  produce 
this  time,  Gijs,"  he  said.  "  It  is  quite  a  year  since  I 
last  saw  you.     What  you  think  ?  " 

"  My  waggon  is  loaded,"  said  Gijs.  "  But  I  have 
a  good  mind  not  to  sell  anything  to  you,  as  last  time 
you  paid  such  ridiculously  low  prices  that  it  scarcely 
made  good  the  expense  of  bringing  the  stuff  in." 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  replied  Tukie,  rubbing  his 
hands  together,  and  smiHng  affably,  "  I  give  the 
best  prices  in  town,  and  often  a  sudden  drop  in  the 
market  loses  me  a  hundred  pounds.  What  you 
think  ?  "  and  without  more  ado  he  shouted  for  his 
natives  to  come  forward,  and  unload. 

Some  waggons  were  already  waiting,  and  others 
were  continually  drawing  up,  whilst  numbers  of 
customers  were  waiting  to  be  served.  There  was 
a  running  to  and  fro  of  clerks,  a  continual  shouting 
to  boys  to  do  this  and  that,  and  a  hustle  and  crowd- 


VICTORIA    WEST  6i 

ing  that  gave  the  place  something  of  the  appearance 
of  an  auction  market.  Tukie  ran  in  and  out,  here, 
there  and  everywhere,  cracking  jokes,  and  jabbering 
continually  to  customers  without  doing  any  serving 
himself.  His  clerks  and  employees  knew,  however, 
from  experience,  that  his  eyes  were  everywhere,  and 
that  nothing  escaped  him. 

He  often  caught  customers  pilfering  goods  and 
hiding  them  about  their  persons,  but  never  made  the 
mistake  of  accusing  them  of  theft.  He  simply 
entered  the  articles  in  their  account  at  about  double 
the  price. 

On  one  occasion  an  old  lady  found  a  pair  of 
scissors  on  her  account  that  she  had  surreptitiously 
annexed,  and  not  knowing  that  Tukie's  eyes  had 
duly  noted  the  incident,  went  in  a  rage  to  him  to 
remonstrate  about  being  charged  with  something 
she  never  bought. 

After  listening  patiently  to  the  old  lady's  abuse 
Tukie  took  her  aside  and  said, 

"  My  dear  Tante,  I  am  sorry  that  you  have  for- 
gotten the  scissors,  but  I  am  sure  I  can  recall  it  to 
your  mind.  You  will  remember,  the  day  you  came 
in  we  were  all  so  busy  that  we  could  not  serve  you  at 
once,  and  you  were  therefore  simply  compelled  to 
serve  yourself.  My  clerk  and  I  saw  it,  and  were 
very  pleased  indeed  that  you  were  so  considerate,  and 
we  spoke  about  it  afterwards.     What  you  think  ?  " 

The  Tante  looked  sheepish,  but  after  a  while 
seemed  suddenly  to  remember  the  incident,  and 
looked  so  pleased  at  the  manner  in  which  Tukie 
had  brought  it  back  to  her  memory  that  she  forgot 
to  grumble  about  the  high  price  levied. 


62   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

After  Gijs  had  discharged  his  load,  he  took  his 
waggon  to  the  outspan,  wliere  he  was  subsequently 
joined  by  VVijnand  and  others. 

As  it  was  already  sunset  all  were  busy  drawing 
their  waggons  into  the  semicircle,  and  preparing 
tents  and  sleeping  accommodation  for  the  night. 

When  work  for  the  day  was  finished  Wijnand 
strolled  over  to  Gijs's  waggon  for  a  chat,  and  to 
discuss  the  programme  they  could  map  out  for 
their  stay. 

"  What  shall  we  do  to-night,  Gijs  ?  "  he  asked, 
for  it  was  out  of  the  question  that  they  should  spend 
the  night  idly,  now  that  they  were  in  town. 

"  I  have  not  yet  given  it  a  thought,  but  come  to 
the  cottage,  and  we  can  see  what  mother  and  Nettie 
are  going  to  do.  Perhaps  they  are  going  somewhere, 
and  we  can  go  with  them." 

Tante  Let  and  Nettie  were  equally  undecided  as  to 
their  movements  for  the  evening,  so  Wijnand  imme- 
diately suggested  some  sport  at  the  waggons. 

This  Tante  Let  knew  was  inevitable,  and  as  she 
was  by  no  means  a  "  kill  joy,"  she  encouraged  the 
idea,  more  especially  as  it  happened  to  be  one  of 
those  warm,  bright  moonlight  nights  with  which 
the  Karroo  is  so  frequently  blessed. 

To  the  young  farmer  of  that  time  "  an  evening 
spend,"  as  it  was  called,  conveyed  the  idea  of  out- 
door games,  in  which  everybody,  old  and  young, 
took  part,  and  so  merry  and  happy  were  they  in 
their  innocent  joy,  and  so  heartily  did  they  abandon 
themselves  to  the  spirit  of  the  moment,  that  the 
most  austere  onlooker  would  be  infected  by  their 
mood,  and  be  impelled  to  join  the  company. 


VICTORIA  WEST  63 

Round  games,  square  games,  kissing  games,  and 
games  of  every  description  were  played.  Dancing 
was,  however,  not  allowed. 

Dancing  was  considered  by  the  Predikant  to  be 
one  of  the  most  deadly  sins  that  could  be  committed, 
and  should  it  become  known  that  a  few  young 
people  had  been  so  immoral  as  to  indulge  in  a  few 
waltzes,  the  Kerkraad  would  take  serious  notice  of 
it,  and  the  Predikant  exhaust  himself  in  the  pulpit, 
in  denouncing  the  practice  as  Satanic  and  hellish. 
Did  not  the  children  of  Israel  worship  the  Golden  Calf 
by  dancing  round  it,  and  was  not  dancing  the  imme- 
diate cause  that  forced  John  the  Baptist  to  part 
company  with  his  head  ? 

The  young  Boer,  however,  when  out  on  the  farm, 
took  precious  little  notice  of  his  reverend  pastor's 
exhortations,  but  danced  to  his  heart's  content 
whenever  opportunity  offered. 

While  in  town,  and  especially  at  Nachtmaal  time, 
he  would  refrain,  as  it  would  be  an  unpardonable 
crime  to  dance  under  the  very  nose  of  the  Predikant, 
and  desecrate  the  holy  occasion  which  called  the 
worshippers  together. 

After  the  evening  meal,  the  whole  party  strolled 
to  the  waggons,  where  they  found  a  number  of 
young  people  from  the  town  already  congregated, 
to  call  on  their  friends  from  the  district. 

Wijnand  passed  round  word  that  there  would  be 
games,  and  very  soon  the  young  folk  collected,  eager 
for  an  evening's  enjoyment. 

It  would  be  tiring  to  describe  the  various  games 
in  which  running,  kissing  and  singing  were  the  chief 
features,    but,    however   imbecile    they    were,   the 


64   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

principal  object  was  attained,  of  creating  fun, 
laughter  and  bodily  exercise. 

It  was  well  past  midnight  when  the  party  broke 
up. 

Gijs  had  enjoyed  himself  in  the  usual  manner,  and 
but  for  one  fact,  the  night  would  have  been  perfect 
— whenever  he  wanted  Nettie  for  a  partner,  he  would 
find  Wijnand  monopolising  her,  and  although  she 
gave  him  a  fair  share  of  attention,  still  for  the  first 
time  he  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  he  might 
have  a  possible  rival  in  his  friend. 

Wijnand  likewise  became  uneasy  at  the  persist- 
ency with  which  Gijs  sought  out  Nettie,  for  he  feared 
to  have  him  as  a  rival,  thinking  that  it  would  be 
natural  for  any  girl  to  prefer  Gijs,  on  account  of 
the  comfortable  circumstances  in  which  fate  had 
placed  him. 

It  was  agreed  that  Wijnand  should  share  Gijs's 
tent  for  the  night,  and  as  they  prepared  their  beds, 
each  felt  that  a  shadow  had  somehow  come  between 
them,  that  might  sooner  or  later  materiaUze  into  a 
breach. 

This,  each  devoutly  prayed,  might  not  be  the 
case,  and  hoped  that  the  other's  feehngs  for  Nettie 
might  prove  to  be  nothing  more  serious  than  one  of 
friendship. 

StiU,  as  they  spread  their  beds  on  the  ground  in 
the  tent,  there  was  an  unwonted  silence  between 
them,  which  neither  for  a  time  noticed,  owing  to  an 
intense  preoccupation  of  mind.  '" 

Gijs,  after  weighing  the  matter  carefully,  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  best  course  would  be  to 
confide  his  hopes  to  Wijnand,  who,  he  felt  sure, 


VICTORIA    WEST  65 

would  keep  his  counsel,  and  leave  the  coast  clear 
— unless  he,  too,  had  matrimonial  designs. 

As  soon  as  they  were  comfortable  in  bed,  Gijs 
broke  silence. 

"  Well,  how  did  you  enjoy  the  party  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  First  rate  ;  but  I  feel  quite  knocked  up  with 
running  and  laughing." 

Again  silence.  Gijs  had  not  thought  it  was  so 
hard  to  confide  a  secret  of  that  description  to  Wij- 
nand,  but  now  that  he  came  to  try  it,  he  did  not  for 
the  life  of  him  know  how  to  introduce  the  subject, 
though  he  felt  he  had  to  do  it,  and  do  it  at  once, 
as  otherwise  he  would  lose  courage  altogether.  He 
made  a  great  mental  effort,  and  sitting  up  in  bed 
said  :  "  Wijnand,  old  chap,  I  have  a  great  secret 
to  tell  you." 

Wijnand' s  heart  gave  a  mighty  thump,  for  he 
had  no  doubt  as  to  what  the  secret  would  be.  He 
also  sat  up  in  bed  as  he  said  :  "I  did  not  know  that 
you  had  any  secret  that  I  did  not  share.  What  is 
it?" 

Fortunately  the  tent  was  dark,  for  Gijs's  face 
turned  crimson  with  embarrassment  as  the  truth  of 
the  remark  dawned  upon  him. 

"  I  intended  telling  you  some  time,  Wijnand,  but 
I  could  not  muster  sufficient  courage  to  do  so. 
To-night,  however,  I  made  up  my  mind  that  you 
should  know.  The  fact  is,  I  am  dead  in  love  with 
Nettie  du  Plessis." 

He  had  blurted  it  out  at  last,  but  his  voice  was 
trembling  with  agitation,  and  Wijnand  knew  by  his 
manner  that  Gijs  was  hopelessly  in  love.  He  also 
knew  that  Gijs — the  man  of  few  words — was  a  man 

E 


66   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

of  very  strong  passions,  and  a  love  once  formed 
would,  with  him,  last  for  life. 

But  what  about  himself !  He  loved  Nettie — 
deeply  and  sincerely.  She  was  his  one  hope,  his 
happiness,  his  dream.  She  had  already  become, 
as  it  were,  part  of  his  everyday  life,  and  to  efface 
her  from  his  heart  would  be  utterly  impossible. 
Had  any  other  man  rivalled  his  suit,  he  would  gladly 
have  put  his  whole  heart  and  soul  into  the  contest, 
to  win  her  favour  ;  but  Gijs,  his  best,  his  only 
friend,  his  "  David  "  ! 

The  blow  was  cruel,  and  up  to  that  fatal  night, 
unexpected.  Could  he  think  of  giving  her  up? 
No,  not  even  to  Gijs. 

The  veins  in  his  forehead  began  to  swell  and  throb 
as  these  thoughts  surged  through  his  mind,  and  for 
some  time  he  remained  silent,  trying  to  subdue  his 
emotions. 

"  Gijs,  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it,"  he  said  at  length, 
and  his  voice  sounded  husky  and  far  away. 

"  Sorry  ?  Why  should  you  be  sorry  ?  It  will 
not  affect  our  friendship.  You  will  always  remain 
my  dearest  friend,  and  I  shall  always  love  you, 
Wijnand,  always." 

"It  is  not  that,  Gijs.     It "     Here  he  broke 

off,  and  covering  his  face  with  his  hands,  tried  to 
repress  the  violent  throbbing  of  his  temples. 

"  What  is  it,  man  ?  Tell  me  why  you  are  sorry  !  " 
said  Gijs  anxiously. 

"  I  am  sorry  because  I  love  her  more  than  my  own 
life,  and  hope  to  make  her  my  wife." 

It  was  now  Gijs's  turn  to  gasp.  Although  he  felt 
what  was  coming,  he  could  not  realise  the  truth, 


VICTORIA    WEST  67 

until  the  words,  almost  sobbed  out  by  Wijnand, 
stabbed  him  like  a  dagger  to  the  heart. 

After  a  while,  Gijs  recovered  himself  sufficiently 
to  ask  :  "  Have  you  told  Nettie  that  you  love  her  ?  " 

"  No,  not  yet,"  replied  Wijnand.  "  I  meant  to  do 
so,  but  have  not  had  an  opportunity.     Have  you  ?  " 

"  No,  nor  I  either,"  said  Gijs.  "  I  had  the  oppor- 
tunity, but  lacked  the  courage." 

"  Well,  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  we  can't  both 
marry  her.     One  of  us  must  give  her  up." 

"  You  speak  very  easily  of  giving  her  up,"  said 
Gijs.  "  To  me  it  would  mean  misery  and  desolation, 
for  I  tell  you,  Wijnand,  I  would  not  prize  Hfe  one 
jot  without  her.  I  long  since  made  up  my  mind, 
that,  should  she  refuse  me  altogether,  I  will  leave 
the  district  for  good,  as  it  would  be  agony  to  see  her 
the  wife  of  another." 

"  That's  just  what  I  feel,"  said  Wijnand  ;  "  and 
yet  it  would  be  madness  in  either  of  us  to  decide  on 
a  life  of  misery,  simply  because  she  has  to  refuse 
one  of  us,  perhaps  both." 

"  I  do  not  care,"  said  Gijs  vehemently.  "  Now 
that  things  have  taken  this  turn  it  is  right  that  she 
should  know  the  whole  proposition,  and  make  her 
choice." 

"  Who  is  to  explain  matters  to  her  ?  " 

"  I  will,  for  I  am  desperate." 

"  No,  thank  you.  I  do  not  beheve  in  love- 
making  by  proxy,"  hastily  observed  Wijnand. 

"  It  will  not  be  a  love-making  scene.  I  propose 
that  we  should  go  to  her  together  and  explain  the 
position." 

"  A  kind  of  joint  proposal !     Ridiculous  !  " 


68   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

And  then,  in  spite  of  their  seriousness,  both  burst 
out  laughing. 

"  Well,  how  is  it  to  be  done  otherwise  ?  "  asked 
Gijs. 

"  That's  the  difficulty.  If  we  propose  separately 
she  might  accept  the  first  comer,  and  give  the  other 
no  chance  at  all.  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  not 
to  mention  it  to  her  for  the  present,  until  we  have 
turned  the  matter  over  in  our  minds  and  arrived  at 
a  plan  that  would  be  just  to  us  both." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Gijs,  "  if  you  promise  not  to 
mention  it  to  her  for  a  month,  I  will  do  the  same." 

"  I  promise,"  said  Wijnand,  only  too  anxious  to 
gain  time,  feehng  as  he  did  Gijs's  superiority  in 
point  of  wealth  and  attractions. 


CHAPTER    V 

NACHTMAAL 

VERY  early  the  following  morning,  about 
half  an  hour  before  daybreak,  servants 
began  to  stir  at  the  waggons,  making 
fires  to  prepare  coffee. 

The  Boer  is  a  very  early  riser,  and  a  great  coffee 
drinker  ;  in  fact,  coffee  has  become  his  national 
drink,  although,  unfortunately.  South  Africa  does 
not  produce  it. 

When  coffee  is  unavailable,  barley,  peas  or  corn, 
and  sometimes  even  the  soft  bark  of  a  certain  tree 
is  used  instead,  and  although  the  substitute  may  be 
unpalatable,  still  it  is  partaken  of  on  the  principle 
of  "  better  something  than  nothing." 

Gijs  and  Wijnand  were  up  with  the  first,  sitting 
round  their  camp  fire  on  low  stools,  drinking  coffee. 
They  were  still  full  of  the  subject  they  had  discussed 
over-night,  and  their  conversation  on  commonplaces 
was  strained  and  difficult,  and  assumed  a  tone  of 
unusual  deference. 

Every  now  and  then  they  would  be  lost  in  thought, 
and  would  stare  vacantly  into  the  fire.  At  last  Gijs 
could  endure  it  no  longer,  and  felt  that  he  must 
refer  to  the  subject  again. 

"  I  had  very  httle  sleep  during  the  night,"  he 
69 


70   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

began,  "  thinking  about  our  agreement.  I  think 
I  have  found  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty.  I  propose 
that  we  each  write  her  a  letter  declaring  our  love, 
and  post  them  together,  so  as  to  ensure  her  recei\ang 
them  at  the  same  time.  She  can  then  act  according 
to  the  dictates  of  her  heart," 

"  And  if  she  does  not  decide  at  once  ?  " 

"  Then  each  will  be  free  to  press  his  suit,  for  there 
will  be  no  injustice  in  that,  as  she  will  know  that  we 
both  love  her." 

"  When  shall  we  write  the  letters  ?  " 

"  Not  until  we  are  back  at  home,  for  we  must  not 
spoil  her  fun  while  she  is  in  town,"  remarked  Gijs. 

Wijnand  saw  the  justice  of  this,  and  agreed  to 
the  scheme.  He  would  have  liked  to  postpone  the 
letter-writing  for  at  least  a  month,  but  he  knew  that 
when  an  emergency  arose,  Gijs  was  not  the  man  to 
temporise,  and  he  feared  that  any  undue  delay 
would  irritate  him.  This  Wijnand  wished  to  avoid, 
for  he  dearly  loved  his  friend,  and  to  \'iolate  the 
code  of  honour  that  existed  between  them  never 
entered  his  mind.  Gijs,  likewise,  would  have  scorned 
any  idea  of  taking  an  advantage  over  Wijnand, 
and  in  pressing  for  immediate  action  he  only  gave 
expression  to  his  nature. 

"  Suppose,"  said  Wijnand,  after  a  while,  "Nettie 
accepts  me,  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

Gijs  took  the  kettle  from  the  fire,  and  refilled  their 
cups.  He  fetched  sugar  from  the  tent,  and,  having 
helped  himself,  passed  it  on  to  Wijnand. 

"  If  she  does,"  he  replied,  staring  absently  into 
the  fire,  and  speaking  in  a  low  voice,  as  though 
communing  with  himself,  "  I  shall  at  least  thank 


NACHTMAAL  71 

God  that  He  has  given  my  dearest  friend  such  a  wife, 
and  I  shall  share  in  her  happiness  and  yours  :  but 
the  day  you  marry  her  I  shall  leave  Sterkfontein  for 
ever." 

The  tears  gathered  in  Wijnand's  eyes  as  he 
replied  :  "  Gijs,  you  are  too  good ;  and  if  it  was 
not  that  I  simply  cannot  give  her  up,  I  should 
stand  aside  altogether." 

"  No,  no,"  the  other  protested,  "  let  her  decide, 
for  she  may  love  you  and  not  me,  and  if  you  stand 
aside,  she  may  think  that  you  do  not  want  her,  and 
accept  me  for  mere  pity's  sake.  We  would  thus 
deprive  her  of  her  natural  right  to  choose  her 
husband,  and  make  her  life  miserable.  No,  no  ; 
anything  but  that." 

"  But  what  if  she  accepts  neither  of  us  ?  " 

"  I  shall  hope  on,  and  try  to  make  myself  worthy 
of  her,  and  never  lose  heart." 

An  old  farmer  from  an  adjoining  waggon,  seeing 
these  two  sitting  comfortably  round  the  fire,  came 
up  to  them  and  unceremoniously  squatted  down 
alongside  them. 

Boers  never  wait  for  an  introduction  amongst 
themselves,  but  just  extend  the  hand,  saying, 
"  I  am  So-and-so."  This  introduction  is  a  sufficient 
passport  to  any  Boer  company,  and  the  newcomer 
is  always  welcomed,  however  poor  he  may  be. 

Generally  the  stranger  is  closely  questioned  as  to 
his  family  connections,  business,  place  of  residence, 
and  state  of  health,  which  questions  are  always 
answered  good-naturedly,  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Gijs,  however,  did  not  question  his  visitor,  but, 
following  the  usual  hospitable  custom,  immediately 


72   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

poured  out  a  bowl  of  coffee,  and  handed  it  to  the 
newcomer,  who  gratefully  accepted  it. 

The  stranger,  who  had  introduced  himself  as 
Willem  Botha,  proved  to  be  a  respectable  landowner 
and  an  ex-member  of  the  Kerkraad.  He  became 
chatty  over  the  coffee,  and  began  to  talk  about 
matters  connected  with  the  church  and  Nachtmaal. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  heard  what  happened  in  the 
Kerkraad  meeting  yesterday  ?  " 

"  No,  Oom,"  replied  Wijnand.  "  We  know  that 
there  was  a  meeting  yesterday,  but  have  not  heard 
any  details,  as  we  were  so  busy." 

"It  is  the  best  joke  I  have  ever  heard,  old  as  I 
am,  and  I  heard  some  funny  things  during  the 
time  I  was  a  member  of  the  Kerkraad,  Neef,"  said 
Oom  Willem, 

"  It  is  so  seldom  that  one  hears  of  a  joke  in  the 
Kerkraad,  that  I  should  hke  to  hear  this  one," 
replied  Gijs. 

"  Well,  I  will  tell  you,  though  I  am  not  supposed 
to  talk  about  it,  for  Neef  Willem  Schaefkuyk,  one 
of  the  members  of  the  Kerkraad,  told  me  in  strict 
confidence.  I  suppose  you  know  Hans  Heimann, 
who  was  schoolmaster  at  Pampoenpoort  ?  Al- 
though he  is  a  German  by  birth,  he  was  baptized 
in  our  church  and  duly  confirmed,  so  that  he  is  a 
full  member.  You  may  also  have  heard  that  there 
was  a  charge  of  misconduct  against  him.  Well, 
he  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Kerkraad 
yesterday,  to  answer  for  his  sins,  and  duly  put  in 
an  appearance  when  his  name  was  called  out. 

"  When  he  went  into  the  vestry,  where  the  Raad 
met,  he  carried  with  him  a  small  basket,  which  he 


NACHTMAAL  73 

placed  on  the  ground.  The  Predikant,  in  the  usual 
manner,  explained  to  Hans  the  nature  of  the  charge 
against  him,  and  asked  what  he  had  to  say  about  it. 

"  He  looked  at  the  members  of  the  Raad  and 
asked  permission  to  put  a  question.  When  this 
was  granted,  he  asked  them  whether  any  one  present 
could  tell  him  why  Jerusalem  was  such  a  clean  town. 

"  Man,  that  was  a  poser  !  None  of  the  old  Boers 
there  could  answer  him, — not  even  the  Predikant. 
He  then  said  that  since  none  of  them  could  answer 
him,  he  would  do  so  himself.  '  Jerusalem  was  a 
clean  town,  because  each  one  there  swept  before 
his  own  door,  and  that  if  the  Raad  meant  to  sweep 
before  his  door,  he  had  a  few  choice  brooms  up  his 
sleeve  with  which  to  sweep  before  the  doors  of 
most  of  the  members.'  Neef  Willem  said  one  could 
cut  the  silence  that  followed,  and  it  seemed  to  him 
that  each  member  had  something  to  fear  that  Hans 
might  perhaps  have  got  wind  of.  Even  the  Predi- 
kant became  visibly  nervous,  and  began  to  stammer 
out  that  they  were  not  there  to  answer  irrelevant 
questions,  and  that  if  he  had  any  charge  to  make 
against  any  member  of  the  Raad,  he  could  do  so  in 
the  proper  way,  and  it  would  be  dealt  with  in  due 
course. 

"  Hans  replied  that  his  future  actions  would 
depend  upon  their  present  behaviour.  If  they  left 
him  in  peace,  he  would  do  the  same  to  them, 
otherwise,  however,  the  world  would  soon  have 
something  to  talk  about. 

"  As  the  Predikant  seemed  too  weak  to  rule  the 
situation,  old  Oom  Carl  van  der  Merwe,  the  oldest 
member  present,  got  angry,  and  said  the  Raad  was 


74   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

insulted,  and  he  proposed  to  deal  with  the  subject 
before  them  at  once,  and  that  Hans  Heimann  should 
be  taught  to  behave  himself  and  respect  the  church. 

"  Hans  thereupon  lost  his  temper,  and,  snatching 
up  his  basket,  emptied  the  contents  upon  the  table 
round  which  the  Raad  was  sitting.  The  basket  was 
full  of  stones,  and  when  the  heap  was  deposited 
he  said  to  them  : 

"  '  Here  am  I,  and  there  are  stones — if  any  of 
you  think  himself  without  sin,  take  up  the  stones, 
and  throw  them  at  me.  I  promise  I  shall  not  move 
or  retaliate  in  any  way,  for  I  wish  to  know  which  of 
you  is  perfect.'  " 

Oom  Willem  Botha  guffawed  loudly,  for  having 
been  a  member  of  the  Kerkraad  himself,  he  knew 
with  what  solemnity  the  meetings  were  conducted, 
and  the  absurdity  of  the  incident  therefore  appealed 
very  strongly  to  him, 

Gijs  and  Wijnand  also  laughed  heartily,  and 
by  their  merriment  attracted  a  small  crowd,  inquisi- 
tive to  know  what  the  fun  was  about.  Needless 
to  say  that  confidence  was  also  extended  to  the 
newcomers,  with  the  result  that  the  story  spread 
Hke  wildfire. 

"  Did  any  of  them  throw  stones  at  Hans  ?  " 
queried  one  of  the  crowd. 

"  Not  likely,"  repHed  Oom  Willem,  with  a  knowing 
laugh.  "  But  the  meeting  broke  up  in  disorder. 
The  Predikant  strutted  home  in  disgust,  declaring 
that  his  cloth  had  been  grievously  insulted  ;  the 
elders  vowed  they  would  for  ever  excommunicate 
Hans,  while  the  younger  deacons  disappeared  round 
corners  to  give  vent  to  their  suppressed  merriment." 


NACHTMAAL  75 

A  chorus  of  laughter  testified  to  the  appreciation 
of  Oom  Willem's  story,  and  each  hurried  back  to 
his  waggon  to  repeat  the  joke  to  all  and  sundry  who 
had  not  yet  heard  it. 

In  a  small  town  with  very  httle  excitement  in  it, 
an  episode  like  this  soon  becomes  known,  and  before 
noon  it  was  pubHc  property.  Everywhere  in  the 
streets,  shops  and  hotels,  httle  clusters  of  people 
collected  to  discuss  and  laugh  over  the  strange 
occurrence.  Whenever  any  of  the  Raad  members 
appeared  some  irresponsible  youngster  would  make 
a  yeiled  allusion  to  stone-throwing,  which  would 
cause  renewed  merriment  at  the  expense  of  the 
unfortunate  pillar  of  the  Church.  The  question 
that  exercised  most  people's  minds  was  what  the 
Kerkraad  would  do  next,  and  whether  the  Predikant 
would  make  reference  to  the  matter  in  his  sermon. 

The  Raad  was  bound  to  vindicate  its  high  office, 
in  order  to  maintain  its  dignity,  as  the  precedent 
established  by  Hans  would  be  damning  to  its  future 
authority,  if  left  undisturbed.  That  the  Predikant 
would  denounce  such  conduct  from  the  pulpit  in  the 
approved  ecclesiastical  fashion,  seemed  certain,  and 
everybody  decided  to  go  to  church  to  hear. 

As  a  rule,  church  business  commenced  on  Friday 
previous  to  Nachtmaal,  and  continued  until  Saturday 
night.  The  method  of  raising  church  funds  is  by 
holding  an  annual  bazaar,  to  which  not  only  the 
congregation,  but  strangers  as  well,  are  requested 
to  contribute. 

It  is  surprising  what  large  sums  of  money  are 
raised  by  these  bazaars,  even  when  everybody 
complains    of   bad    times.     The    Predikant    is   an 


76   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

expert  in  impressing  upon  the  minds  of  the  congre- 
gation the  fact  that  everything  they  possess  belongs 
to  the  Lord,  no  matter  how  hard  they  worked  for  it ; 
and  that  nothing  pleases  the  Almighty  more  than 
substantial  donations  towards  the  support  of  the 
church,  which,  translated  into  every-day  language, 
means  the  salary  of  the  minister. 

And  indeed,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  large 
sums  should  be  realized  by  these  bazaars,  for  the 
Dutch  parson  is  a  highly-paid  official,  and  loves 
to  hve  on  the  fat  of  the  land.  His  house — "  De 
Pastorie,"  as  it  is  called — must  be  the  best  and 
handsomest  in  the  town,  although  he  pays  neither 
rates  nor  rent  for  it.  His  trap  and  horses  must  be 
of  the  shiniest,  for  he  could  not  possibly  consent  to 
avail  himself  of  the  humble  ass  for  the  purposes  of 
locomotion.  These  needs  the  congregation  must 
supply  either  directly  or  indirectly ;  besides  a 
number  of  other  perquisites  and  privileges. 

His  contract  with  the  congregation  is  a  most 
unjust  and  one-sided  business,  for,  should  he  feel 
so  minded,  he  can  leave  them  in  the  lurch  at  any 
time,  by  simply  announcing  from  the  pulpit  his 
intention  of  going  elsewhere,  and  should  a  call  from 
any  other  town  come,  offering  higher  pay  and  better 
material  advantages,  then  it  is  clearly  the  will  of  the 
Lord  that  he  should  go  to  minister  to  the  souls 
there ;  and  the  Lord's  will  must  be  done  in  such 
cases,  in  spite  of  there  being  so  many  other  needy 
souls  to  minister  to  near  by. 

One  Predikant,  on  being  asked  how  he  knew  it 
was  the  Lord's  will  that  he  should  accept  a  call  that 
came  to  him,  answered  that  "  the  Lord  knew  that  he 


NACHTMAAL  ^^ 

required  a  higher  salary,  and  therefore  sent  the  call 
to  him." 

When,  however,  a  call  comes  with  the  offer  of  a 
smaller  salary,  it  is  usual  to  announce  that  a  call  has 
been  received,  but  after  prayerful  consideration,  it 
has  had  to  be  declined. 

In  some  cases  when  a  call  with  increased  emolu- 
ments has  been  received,  the  Predikant  lays  the 
matter  before  the  Kerkraad,  and  a  discussion 
follows.  Should  the  Kerkraad  wish  to  retain  the 
particular  Predikant,  they  raise  his  salary  and  make 
it  equal  to  the  new  offer  ;  then  it  is  considered  that 
the  Lord  has  changed  His  mind,  but  if  the  Raad 
cannot  come  up  to  the  offer  made,  then  there  is  no 
help  for  it,  and  the  Divine  will  carries  the  day. 

It  is  most  amusing  to  listen  to  a  farewell  sermon 
from  a  Predikant,  who  has  just  received  a  higher 
pay  call.  With  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  a  great  show 
of  emotion,  he  recounts  the  good  work  he  has  done 
in  the  congregation,  and  thanks  them  for  the  great 
support  he  has  received  in  his  labours.  He  has 
learned  to  love  them  dearly  and  feels  his  parting 
from  them  deeply,  but  he  must  obey  the  will  of  the 
Lord.  Nevertheless,  the  memory  of  the  good  and  the 
love  he  has  received  from  them  will  strengthen  him 
yci  his  future  work. 

Meanwhile,  a  number  of  women  begin  to  sob,  and 
several  men  wipe  their  noses  vigorously,  especially 
the  elders  and  deacons,  while  all  over  the  congrega- 
tion there  is  a  flourish  of  handkerchiefs,  until  one  is 
surprised  that  the  Lord  could  ever  be  so  heartless  as 
to  part  such  loving  hearts  in  a  world  already  over- 
flowing with  sorrow. 


78   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

It  is,  however,  vastly  different  when  the  congrega- 
tion for  some  reason  or  other  wish  to  get  rid  of  their 
Predikant.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  giving  his 
reverence  notice  to  quit.  He  simply  sticks  on,  and 
although  the  church  may  be  empty  and  great  dis- 
satisfaction prevail  amongst  the  congregation,  he 
nevertheless  refuses  to  vacate  the  pulpit  in  favour 
of  another  and  more  deserving  pastor,  no  matter 
how  many  precious  souls  may  be  lost  in  the  mean- 
time. The  only  way  to  convince  his  reverence  that 
it  is  really  the  Divine  will  that  he  should  make  a 
move,  is  to  buy  him  out,  and  if  sufficient  money  is 
forthcoming  the  argument  becomes  insurmountable 
and  he  bends  to  higher  powers. 

Punctually  at  ten  o'clock,  the  ladies'  bazaar  was 
opened  with  a  short  prayer  by  one  of  the  visiting 
ministers.  It  was  held  in  the  only  hall  the  town 
boasted,  which  did  duty  for  all  public  functions, 
such  as  meetings,  auctions,  wedding  feasts,  concerts, 
and  Circuit  Court  sessions.  There  were  contribu- 
tions of  every  conceivable  description ;  clothes, 
fancy  work,  fineries,  flowers,  toys,  delectable  dainties 
from  the  animal  and  vegetable  kingdom,  with  liquid 
refreshments,  hot  and  cold. 

The  hall  being  small  and  the  crowd  great,  the 
members  had  to  elbow  their  way  to  the  tables  as 
best  they  could.  There  was  a  continual  hum  of 
voices,  for  all  were  talking  at  the  same  time,  bar- 
gaining, selling  and  buying,  eating  and  drinking, 
and  generally  enjoying  themselves,  while  all  the 
time  money  was  rolling  into  the  church  coffers. 

By  twelve  o'clock  the  crowd  was  getting  thinner, 
as  people  began  to  struggle  home  with  their  pur- 


NACHTMAAL  79 

chases.  At  one  o'clock  the  hall  was  empty,  every- 
thing having  been  sold  out. 

The  men's  bazaar  was  held  in  the  afternoon  on 
the  market  square,  and  consisted  of  cattle,  sheep 
and  other  stock,  as  well  as  a  variety  of  farm  produce. 
These  were  all  sold  to  the  highest  bidder  by  the 
local  auctioneer,  who  as  a  rule  conducted  these  sales 
gratuitously,  with  an  eye  to  public  favour  and  future 
support,  and  by  way  of  contribution  to  the  church. 

If  the  auctioneer  knew  his  work,  he  began  by 
putting  the  crowd  in  a  good  humour.  This  was 
generally  effected  by  offering  the  smallest  and  poorest 
lamb  or  sucking  pig  that  could  be  found,  and  on 
which  the  most  extravagant  praises  were  showered 
in  real  auctioneering  clap-trap.  It  was  then  put 
up  and  bids  invited.  As  often  as  not,  it  would  be 
bought  and  given  back  to  be  put  up  again,  by  almost 
every  one,  until  at  length  the  auctioneer  got  tired 
of  it ;  then  he  bought  it  himself,  and  sent  it  away. 
In  this  way  a  sucking  pig  has  often  realized  twenty 
to  twenty-five  pounds. 

"  Come  on,  friends  !  "  shouted  the  auctioneer, 
after  having  disposed  of  a  lamb  in  the  manner 
described,  "  As  we  have  had  our  little  bit  of  fun, 
let  us  now  begin  the  sale  in  earnest.  In  your 
pockets  you  will  find  money.  Here  am  I.  Throw 
it  at  me.     I  shall  not  retaliate." 

A  roar  of  laughter  from  the  crowd  testified  that 
they  understood  the  reference  to  Hans  Heimann, 
and  throughout  the  whole  sale  a  torrent  of  humorous 
raillery  was  kept  up,  until  every  hoof  was  sold,  and 
on  behalf  of  the  church,  the  auctioneer  dismissed  the 
crowd  with  thanks. 


8o   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

The  Saturday  before  Nachtmaal  was  by  far  the 
busiest  day  in  town,  for  then  farmers  coming  from 
a  distance  had  to  do  their  shopping  on  a  large  scale, 
so  as  to  supply  all  needs  on  the  farm  for  perhaps  a 
year.  Crowds  of  women  were  busy  inside  the  shops 
buying  clothes  for  themselves  and  children,  besides 
executing  commissions  for  neighbours  who  could 
not  come  themselves. 

Outside,  the  men  purchased  farm  implements, 
food  supplies  and,  more  especially,  guns  and  am- 
munition. It  was  understood  that  residents  of  the 
town  should  do  no  shopping  that  day,  as  they  could 
not  expect  to  be  attended  to  whilst  the  crush  from 
the  country  lasted. 

Numbers  of  waggons  and  Cape  carts  were  drawn 
up  outside  the  shops  to  be  loaded  up,  so  as  to  be 
ready  for  an  early  start  on  Monday  morning.  Every 
body  was  in  a  hurry,  running  from  one  store  to 
another,  and  even  the  otherwise  sluggish  townsman 
seemed  to  be  infused  with  new  life  and  vigour,  for  he 
too  walked  faster  than  usual,  for  no  purpose  at  all, 
but  simply  because  he  was  impelled  by  the  tumult 
around  him. 

The  Civil  Commissioner's  clerk  was  besieged  by 
farmers  paying  quit-rents,  lease-rents  and  other 
Government  taxes.  The  Post  Office  was  equally 
over-crowded,  and  all  were  bustling  and  working  at 
top  speed  to  finish  off  before  night  time. 

When  at  last  night  came,  and  the  weary  but  happy 
storekeeper  had  closed  his  shutters,  the  younger 
generation  began  to  collect  in  several  parties  to 
enjoy  themselves,  and  keep  the  town  alive  till  late. 

On  Sunday  morning,   Nachtmaal  services  com- 


NACHTMAAL  8i 

menced,  and  the  church  was  packed  to  suffocation. 
The  Communion  service  was  read,  and  this  prohibited 
any  one  who  might  be  guilty  of  sin  from  partaking 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  "  for  he  who  eats  and  drinks 
unworthily,  eats  and  drinks  himself  into  judgment." 
Yet,  in  spite  of  the  prohibition,  every  one  took 
Sacrament  bhthely,  happy  in  the  consciousness  that 
there  were  still  so  many  good  people  in  the  world. 

At  the  Baptismal  Service,  which  took  place  in 
the  afternoon,  some  laughable  contretemps  some- 
times occurred,  and  as  laughing  in  church  was  con- 
sidered most  unpardonable  behaviour,  it  often 
became  difficult  to  witness  the  scenes  enacted  and  at 
the  same  time  keep  a  serious  face. 

Some  of  the  poorer  farmers,  especially  the  by- 
woner  class  who  lived  at  great  distances  from  town, 
hardly  ever  had  an  opportunity  of  attending  church, 
and  thus  it  frequently  happened  that  when  the 
journey  to  the  dorp  could  be  undertaken  there  were 
quite  a  number  of  children  in  each  family  to  be 
christened.  When  the  parents  were  called  up  to 
take  their  places  before  the  font  it  was  nothing  to 
see  each  mother  walking  up  the  aisle  with  five  or 
six  little  mites  hanging  on  to  her  skirts. 

Generally  the  bigger  children  began  to  cry,  and  at 
once  set  off  the  smaller  ones,  for,  not  understanding 
the  nature  of  the  ceremony,  and  puzzled  by  the 
solemnity  observed,  they  took  fright  at  the  crowd  of 
faces  staring  at  them,  and  dreaded  especially  any 
close  proximity  to  the  Predikant. 

By  some  strange  whim  of  nature  we  are  so  con- 
stituted that  while  in  church,  or,  for  the  matter  of 
that,  any  place  where  laughing  is  considered  out  of 


82   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

place,  the  least  funny  incident  keenly  excites  our 
risibility,  and  the  more  we  try  to  repress  the  feehng 
the  more  uncontrollable  the  impulse  becomes. 

That  afternoon,  twelve  couples  answered  the  call 
to  the  font,  bringing  with  them  twenty-six  children 
to  be  baptised.  As  the  space  before  the  pulpit  was 
rather  cramped,  the  children  soon  got  themselves 
hopelessly  mixed,  and  the  parents  had  a  great  to-do 
in  sorting  them  out,  and  keeping  them  in  their 
proper  places. 

While  the  prescribed  ritual  was  read,  which 
occupied  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  parents 
were  expected  to  stand  reverently  before  the  pulpit, 
and  to  make  certain  declarations  of  faith,  before 
the  church  could  take  the  babes  into  its  fold. 

The  Predikant  had  read  for  several  minutes  when 
some  of  the  children  began  to  chatter. 

"  Ma,"  shouted  a  small  boy  at  the  top  of  his 
voice,  "  fasten  my  pants,  they  are  falHng  off." 

"Hush,  child!  The  Predikant  will  be  angry." 
The  mother  spoke  in  an  undertone,  and  pointed  to 
the  minister  in  the  pulpit. 

"  But  what  will  he  say  if  my  pants  come  off  ?  " 
persisted  the  little  one  anxiously. 

"  Hush,  hush.     He  will  come  down  and  beat  you." 

This  frightened  the  child,  who  began  to  yell 
lustily.  "  Fasten  my  pants  !  Fasten  my  pants,  be- 
fore he  comes  down  !  "  he  cried. 

Here  and  there  a  titter  became  audible  from  some 
child  in  the  audience,  which  was  immediately  sup- 
pressed by  its  elders,  and  all  round  smiles  rippled 
over  the  solemn  features  of  the  worshippers. 

The  whole  group  of  children  before  the  pulpit  now 


NACHTMAAL  S^ 

became  frightened,  fearing  that  the  Predikant  would 
come  down,  when  something  dreadful  was  sure  to 
happen  to  them  ;  they  consequently  gave  vent 
to  their  fears  by  setting  up  such  a  chorus  of  howls 
that  the  Predikant  stopped  reading. 

His  reverence  tactfully  requested  the  congregation 
to  sing  a  hymn  while  the  parents  tried  to  pacify 
their  alarmed  offspring. 

The  hymn  seemed  to  soothe  the  little  ones,  for 
quietness  was  again  restored  and  the  reading  was 
resumed.  It  was,  however,  not  long  before  a  child 
of  about  eight  years  addressed  her  mother  in  a  loud 
stage  whisper. 

"  Ma,  why  is  that  Oom  talking  such  a  lot  ?  " 
referring  to  the  reader. 

The  mother  bent  down  and  whispered  something 
in  the  child's  ear,  but  the  other  Httle  ones  who 
overheard  the  question  now  all  wanted  an  answer 
from  their  respective  parents,  and  things  promised 
to  become  Hvely  again,  when  the  minister,  who 
omitted  a  great  portion  of  the  ritual,  suddenly 
stopped,  and  began  putting  the  three  questions  to  the 
parents. 

First : — "  Although  our  children  are  conceived  in 
sin,  and  therefore  subject  to  damnation,  do  you 
acknowledge  that  they  are  sanctified  in  Christ,  and, 
as  such,  should  be  baptised  as  members  of  the  con- 
gregation ?  " 

Second: — "Do  you  acknowledge  that  the  doc- 
trines contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  and 
in  the  Articles  of  Faith  taught  in  this  church,  are 
the  true  and  complete  teaching  of  salvation  ?  " 

Third : — "  Do    you    promise    to    instruct    your 


84   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

children,  or  cause  or  assist  them  to  be  instructed 
in  the  above  doctrine  ?  " 

The  parents  having  all  nodded  assent,  the  Predi- 
kant  descended  from  the  pulpit  to  baptise  the 
children  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

The  little  ones,  who  were  still  noisy,  saw  the 
minister  descending  and  construed  it  into  an  open 
declaration  of  war. 

The  small  man  of  the  pants  was  the  first  to  show 
the  white  feather,  as,  with  a  loud  scream,  he  made 
a  bolt  for  the  church  door,  running  down  the  aisle 
as  fast  as  his  sturdy  legs  would  carry  him. 

His  flight  struck  panic  into  the  hearts  of  the  other 
children  and  a  general  stampede  followed.  At 
the  door  a  burly  old  sexton  intercepted  their 
progress  and  waved  them  back  again. 

Mothers  and  fathers  ran  in  pursuit,  but  the  hero 
of  the  pants  refused  firmly  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  the  Minister,  and  had  to  be  carried  to  the  font, 
screaming  and  kicking.  His  example  was  followed 
by  several  of  the  others,  and  the  sight  of  a  number 
of  irritated  parents  carrying  their  expostulating 
infants  to  the  font  proved  too  much  for  every  one. 
The  whole  congregation  laughed  outright. 

Even  the  Predikant,  good  man  that  he  was,  was 
struck  with  the  absurdity  of  the  situation  and  smiled 
wanly. 

When  at  last  the  little  crowd  regathered,  and  began 
to  realise  that  the  Predikant  had  no  sinister  motives 
against  their  persons,  quietness  was  restored  and 
the  Sacrament  proceeded. 

The  first  to  be  presented  was  a  boy  of  six.  The 
Predikant  repeated  the  usual  formula,  dipped  his 


NACHTMAAL  85 

fingers  into  the  water,  and  touched  the  child's 
forehead. 

As  he  did  so,  the  boy  turned  indignantly  to  his 
mother  and  wailed  :  "  Ma,  the  Oom  is  throwing 
water  in  my  face  !  " 

Backing  away  from  the  font  he  eluded  the  grip 
on  his  arm,  and  had  to  be  retrieved  from  the  recesses 
of  a  distant  pew  to  be  touched  with  water  twice  more. 

"  My  face  is  clean  !  "  he  whimpered,  miserably, 
"  I  don't  want  it  washed  !  " 

It  was  a  relief  to  all  when  the  children  were  safely 
baptised,  and  when,  fifteen  minutes  later,  the 
people  streamed  out  of  church,  the  casual  looker-on 
might  well  have  thought  he  was  watching  a  theatre- 
audience  dispersing. 

Such  christenings  are  very  rare  in  these  days,  and 
now  that  the  Karroo  is  dotted  all  over  with  villages 
the  church  is  within  reach  of  all. 


CHAPTER    VI 

ANDRIES   WITTE 

TANTE  LET  and  her  friends  had  dutifully 
taken  part  in  every  function  and  service 
in  connection  with  Nachtmaal,   and  felt 
relieved  and  happy  when  it  was  all  over. 
The  bazaar  had  been  a  splendid  success.     Suffi- 
cient money  was  realised  to  pay  the  Predikant's 
salary   for  the  year,   and  there  remained  a  good 
balance  to  go  towards  the  sustentation  fund. 

The  church  had  already  a  substantial  income 
from  ground  rents,  and  amounts  fixed  on  mortgage 
of  farm  property,  but  not  quite  sufficient  to  meet  all 
the  various  expenditure  incidental  to  the  upkeep  of 
such  an  establishment,  without  the  aid  of  an  annual 
bazaar. 

Most  of  the  Karroo  towns  were  originally  laid 
out  by  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  As  the  Karroo 
became  more  and  more  inhabited,  and  farms  were 
acquired  from  the  Government,  at  great  distances 
from  the  nearest  towns,  the  Church  wisely  followed 
in  the  wake  of  the  people,  by  purchasing  a  farm  as 
central  as  possible  to  the  new  section  requiring  a 
minister.  This  farm  was  then  surveyed  into  erven, 
from  which  sites  were  selected  for  church,  school  and 
public  buildings,  and  the  rest  offered  for  sale,  subject 

86 


ANDRIES    WITTE  87 

to  a  yearly  tax  payable  to  the  Church.  By  the  sale 
of  the  erven  the  purchase  price  of  the  farm  was 
usually  well  covered,  and  a  fairly  good  annual  income 
in  taxes  secured  for  Church  purposes. 

As  soon  as  a  little  township  had  sprung  up,  the 
Government  was  petitioned  for  a  lock-up,  and  a 
special  Justice  of  the  Peace  with  jurisdiction  to  try 
petty  cases.  Should  the  town  grow  in  importance, 
the  Government  would  be  further  persuaded  to 
grant  it  a  periodical  Court,  which  would  eventually 
ripen  into  a  Resident  Magistracy.  Once  a  Resi- 
dent Magistrate's  Court  was  estabhshed,  an  area 
was  cut  off  from  the  surrounding  districts,  and  a  new 
fiscal  division  proclaimed  with  the  town  as  its  capital. 

All  these  various  steps  were  brought  about  by 
the  influence  of  the  Church,  and  when  the  town  had 
grown  to  such  an  extent  that  the  Kerkraad  could 
no  longer  control  it,  a  public  meeting  would  be  held 
to  discuss  the  advisability  of  having  a  Municipality 
proclaimed.  Then,  when  this  body  was  formed, 
the  Church  could  hand  over  to  it  the  management 
of  the  town,  and  be  relieved  from  all  other  responsi- 
bility, retaining,  however,  its  right  to  Church  taxes 
as  well  as  its  ownership  in  the  Commonage,  until 
bought  out  by  the  Municipality. 

In  this  way  the  Dutch  Church  has  become  a 
wealthy  and  self-supporting  institution,  so  that, 
even  although  the  Government  subsidy  has  long 
since  been  withdrawn,  it  has  continued  to  grow  in 
influence  and  power,  and  has  done  perhaps  more 
than  any  other  Church  to  advance  education  in 
South  Africa. 

Early  on  Monday  morning,  the  general  exodus 


88   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

from  the  town  commenced.  Long  before  daylight 
wheels  began  to  rumble  through  the  streets,  as 
waggons  and  carts  started  on  their  long  homeward 
journey  over  the  scorching  Karroo,  and,  by  noon, 
the  town  was  quiet,  and  began  to  settle  down  to  the 
habitual  humdrum  inactivity. 

Tante  Let  and  her  party  had  agreed  to  stay  over 
until  Wednesday  morning,  in  order  to  do  their 
shopping  and  business  when  the  crush  was  over, 
and  to  call  upon  their  town  friends,  whom  they  only 
had  the  opportunity  of  seeing  once  every  two  or 
three  years. 

As  Tante  Let  very  seldom  came  to  town,  her 
cottage  was  always  let,  but  subject  to  the  condition 
that  at  Nachtmaal  time  the  tenant  had  to  vacate 
it  for  a  week,  and  give  her  the  use  of  the  furniture, 
in  consideration  whereof  one  month's  rent  was 
remitted. 

As  this  agreement  suited  the  tenant,  Tante  Let 
always  stayed  a  full  week,  unless  urgent  matters 
necessitated  her  leaving  sooner.  During  her  stay 
the  cottage  was  always  full  of  acquaintances,  who 
came  to  see  her,  and  discuss  matters  that  had 
happened  since  their  last  meeting. 

On  Monday  morning  she  remained  at  home  to 
greet  friends,  and  take  a  rest  from  the  excitement  of 
the  past  few  days.  Among  those  who  came  to  see 
her  was  a  man  with  whom  she  had  but  a  passing 
acquaintance,  but  whose  reputation  she  knew  to  be 
such  that  she  had  no  desire  for  his  company.  Why 
he  should  have  called  upon  her  she  could  not  guess, 
as  neither  she  nor  any  of  her  friends  had  encour- 
aged intimacy  with  him  or  his  family.      She  there- 


ANDRIES    WITTE  89 

fore  ascribed  his  call  to  the  prevailing  custom 
amongst  Boers  of  presuming  upon  a  slight  acquaint- 
ance to  claim  kinship,  and,  as  such,  she  dismissed 
the  matter  from  her  mind,  resolving,  however,  to 
keep  him  at  a  respectable  distance. 

In  a  very  pleasant  manner  he  came  up  to  her  and 
extended  his  hand. 

"  Good-morning,  Xante  Let ;  I  am  glad  to  see 
that  you  are  one  of  those  sensible  people  who  do 
not  run  out  of  town  as  soon  as  the  church  doors 
close.  Life  is  already  such  a  rush  that  one  may  well 
take  things  a  bit  easy." 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Witte.  Please  be  seated," 
she  replied  rather  stiffly. 

She  was  purposely  formal  in  her  reply,  for  having 
been  addressed  as  "  Xante,"  it  was  to  be  expected 
that  she  would  respond  by  using  the  familiar 
"  Neef,"  but  this  she  refrained  from  doing,  in  order 
to  make  him  feel  that  she  did  not  include  him  in  her 
circle  of  friends. 

When  Boer  calls  Boer  "  Mr."  or  "  Mijnheer  "  it 
is  a  clear  sign  that  the  two  are  strangers  to  each 
other, — that  friendly  intercourse  between  them  has 
ceased  to  exist. 

Andries  Witte  was  also  a  farmer,  and  lived  about 
two  hours'  drive  from  the  town,  where  he  had  a 
beautiful  farm,  "  Rietkuil."  Xhis  farm,  however, 
did  not  belong  to  him,  but  to  his  father-in-law — 
Koos  Hough — who  was  acknowledged  by  all  to  be 
the  richest  man  in  the  district. 

Andries  Witte  had  only  one  object  in  life — to 
become  a  rich  man,  and  to  attain  that  object  he 
allowed  nothing  to  stand  in  his  way.     Being  pleasant 


90   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

in  manner  and  smooth  of  tongue,  he  succeeded  in 
winning  the  love  of  Koos  Hough's  daughter,  Anna, 
whom  he  married,  when  she  was  only  eighteen  years 
old. 

It  did  not  take  his  wife  long  to  awake  from  her 
dream  of  love.  From  the  first  year  of  their  married 
life,  Witte  began  to  worry  her  to  obtain  large  sums 
of  money  from  her  father.  These  she  succeeded  in 
obtaining  under  promise  of  repayment  with  interest, 
and  handed  to  her  husband,  who  always  had  some 
money-making  scheme  on  hand,  for  which  he 
required  capital,  and  which,  in  his  persuasive  manner, 
he  assured  her  would  double  and  treble  the  amount 
in  a  short  time,  whereby  they  would  be  enabled  not 
only  to  repay  the  loan,  but  acquire  a  large  capital 
of  their  own 

His  schemes,  however,  never  reached  maturity, 
as  some  unforeseen  accident  always  upset  the 
machinery ;  nevertheless  the  money  had  been  spent, 
and  unless  more  capital  was  forthcoming  the 
amount  already  invested  would  be  lost. 

In  this  manner  Witte  again  and  again  persuaded 
his  wife  to  obtain  loans  from  her  father,  until  that 
worthy  became  suspicious,  and  gave  his  daughter 
to  understand  that  he  was  not  an  unhmited  banking 
institution,  and  that  in  future  Witte  would  have  to 
apply  somewhere  else  for  financial  assistance. 

From  that  moment  Witte  became  cold  and  harsh 
to  his  wife,  and  did  not  scruple  to  voice  his  disappoint- 
ment at  her  inability  to  get  more  money  from  her 
father.  "  What  is  the  good,"  he  would  say  in  his 
anger,  "  of  having  married  a  rich  man's  daughter,  if 
she  is  not  able  to  get  money  whenever  it  is  wanted  ?  " 


ANDRIES    WITTE  91 

Mrs.  Witte  received  the  blow  in  silence,  though 
it  rankled  deep.  Five  years  had  elapsed  since  she 
married  Witte,  but  those  five  years  were  amongst 
the  happiest  of  her  life,  for  she  loved  her  husband, 
and  thought  that  she  was  all  in  all  to  him,  as  he 
had  so  often  assured  her.  The  truth,  however, 
gradually  dawned  upon  her  that  he  had  married 
her  for  her  prospects,  and  though  she  had  put  the 
thought  away  from  her  as  unjust  to  him,  now  that 
he  plainly  told  her  he  had  married  her  simply  in 
order  that  she  might  extort  money  from  her  parents, 
it  came  Hke  a  dagger  to  her  heart,  that  killed,  not 
her  body,  but  her  soul,  her  life, — her  love. 

At  first  her  father  did  not  ask  for  any  written 
acknowledgment  of  the  money  advanced,  but,  as 
Witte  had  repeatedly  failed  to  repay  any  of  the 
loans  when  due,  he  one  day  sent  for  her,  and  told  her 
to  get  acknowledgments,  signed  by  her  husband, 
for  the  money  which  was  owing. 

When  Anna  mentioned  her  father's  request  to 
Witte,  there  was  a  terrible  scene.  He  stormed  at 
her,  and  swore  that  he  would  not  be  such  a  fool  as 
to  put  his  hand  to  paper  for  any  man,  much  less  her 
father,  to  whose  "  meanness  "  in  refusing  to  supply 
him  with  further  capital  he  ascribed  the  failure  of 
his  schemes. 

From  that  day  Witte  openly  insulted  his  wife,  and 
threatened  to  add  injury  to  the  slights  he  daily 
heaped  upon  her.  A  week  or  so  later  he  carried  his 
threat  into  execution  by  striking  her  a  blow  in  the 
face  for  some  trivial  thing  she  had  said. 

She  had  stood  all  his  abuse  and  buried  her  sorrow 
in  her  heart,  but  the  blow  awakened  her  pride.     She 


92   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

said  nothing  by  way  of  reproach  but  went  straight 
out  of  the  house,  and  ordered  the  stable  boy  to  inspan 
the  cart. 

With  the  assistance  of  her  housemaid  she  hurriedly 
packed  a  few  boxes  with  the  most  needful  clothing 
for  herself  and  her  two  little  children,  and  ordered 
the  servant  to  put  them  in  the  cart.  Then,  calling 
the  children,  she  took  them  by  the  hand. 

As  she  was  climbing  into  the  cart,  Witte,  who 
was  sitting  in  the  house,  pretending  that  he  did 
not  know  what  was  going  on,  came  out  and  demanded 
to  know  what  she  was  about. 

She  turned  and  faced  him. 

"  I  thought  you  were  a  man,"  she  said,  "  but 
I  find  you  are  only  a  coward.  You  have  ruined  my 
hfe,  but,  God  helping  me,  you  shall  not  spoil  the 
lives  of  these  innocent  children  with  your  profane 
and  godless  behaviour." 

Witte  turned  purple  with  rage,  and  began  to 
curse  and  rave,  shouting  to  her  to  get  out  of  the 
cart  immediately.  But  Anna  flicked  the  horses 
smartly,  and  they  dashed  away  from  the  farm. 

Two  hours  later  she  was  under  her  father's  roof, 
telling  everything  to  her  parents. 

Old  Koos  Hough  took  his  daughter  in  his  arms, 
and  kissed  her  tenderly,  as  he  assured  her,  in  a  broken 
voice,  that  she  had  done  right  in  coming  home. 
"  Here  you  will  be  safe  from  that  brute  !  Take 
your  old  place  in  the  house.  You  are  very  welcome, 
and  the  children  will  be  the  sunshine  of  our  hearts." 

Anna  never  returned  to  her  husband,  and  steadily 
declined  in  health,  until  at  last  she  died,  from  sheer 
inabihty  to  struggle  on  and  face  her  sorrow 


ANDRIES    WITTE  93 

As  it  was  by  that  time  three  years  since  Witte 
last  saw  his  wife  to  speak  to,  he  did  not  dare  attend 
the  funeral,  nor  did  he  attempt  to  obtain  the  custody 
of  the  children,  well  knowing  that  his  implacable 
father-in-law  would  not  give  them  up  without  the 
intervention  of  the  law.  Besides  being  indebted 
to  him  for  over  five  thousand  pounds,  he  feared 
that  any  reprisals  on  his  part  would  result  in  old 
Koos  Hough  calling  in  the  money.  And  to  a  man 
like  Witte,  money  is  a  far  more  desirable  asset  than 
children. 

Since  his  wife  left  him  he  had  carried  on  all 
manner  of  speculative  transactions,  whereby  he 
gradually  became  richer  at  the  expense  of  many 
people  who  had  trusted  him,  until  at  last  he  found 
it  difficult  to  inveigle  any  one  who  knew  him  into 
financial  dealings. 

He  was  one  of  those  artful  people  who  always 
cover  up  their  tracks  adroitly,  and  in  no  single 
instance  had  the  law  put  a  finger  on  him,  for,  no 
matter  what  might  happen,  he  was  always  able  to 
establish  his  own  innocence,  despite  the  fact  that  he 
was  the  only  one  benefited. 

All  this  Tante  Let  knew,  in  common  with  the 
whole  district,  and  consequently  she  had  no  desire 
to  cultivate  a  closer  acquaintance  with  the  man. 
She  had  given  Gijs  instructions  to  keep  Witte  at 
arm's  length,  and  never  on  any  pretext  whatever 
to  have  anything  to  do  with  him. 

Witte  took  the  seat  offered  him,  and  began  to 
converse  pleasantly  with  the  company  present,  on 
topics  of  general  interest.  He  was  a  good  con- 
versationalist, and  had  the  enviable  faculty  of  keep- 


94   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

ing  his  listeners  interested  in  any  subject  he  might 
touch  upon.  Any  one  who  did  not  know  his 
reputation  would  be  charmed  with  him,  and  even 
his  detractors  were  bound  to  admit  his  attrac- 
tiveness. 

One  by  one  the  callers  began  to  leave,  until  all 
had  gone,  and  still  Witte  remained,  to  the  dismay 
of  Xante  Let,  who  longed  to  see  the  last  of  him. 
She  very  soon  perceived — for  she  was  a  woman  of 
keen  acumen — that  he  had  something  to  say  to  her, 
and  to  her  alone,  and  thinking  that  the  sooner  it  was 
said  the  sooner  would  the  unwelcome  visitor  depart, 
she  made  an  excuse  to  send  Nettie,  who  was  in  the 
room,  to  attend  to  some  household  duty  in  the 
kitchen. 

No  sooner  had  Nettie  left  the  room  than  Witte 
turned  to  Tante  Let  and  said  :  "I  had  intended 
going  over  to  Sterkfontein  to  see  you,  but  as  I 
heard  that  you  were  coming  into  town  for  Nacht- 
maal,  I  thought  I  would  call  on  you  here  instead." 

"  What  do  you  wish  to  speak  to  me  about,  Mr. 
Witte  ?  "  Tante  Let's  manner  became  very  curt, 
for  she  disHked  the  man. 

"  Something  that  would  be  greatly  to  your 
advantage,  and  I  should  hke  to  explain  the  matter 
carefully,  if  you  have  a  few  minutes  to  spare  ?  " 

"  I  have  time  now  to  listen,"  she  replied,  shortly. 

Although  she  wished  him  far  enough  away,  she 
considered  it  best  to  give  him  the  opportunity  he 
sought,  so  that  he  might  have  no  possible  excuse 
for  calling  upon  her  again. 

"  The  fact  is,  I  am  representing  a  company  formed 
to  buy  up  good  farms  hereabout,  and  am  able  to 


ANDRIES    WITTE  95 

obtain  more  than  twice  the  ordinary  market  value, 
but  naturally  the  farm  must  be  exceptionally  pro- 
lific, either  in  crops  or  stock,  otherwise  my  company 
will  not  so  much  as  look  at  it.  I  have  already 
acquired  six  good  ones,  but  I  must  secure  at  least 
ten  or  twelve.  Now,  your  Sterkfontein  is  one 
of  the  best  properties  in  the  district,  and  if  you  are 
willing  to  sell,  I  guarantee  that  you  will  get  at  least 
three  times  its  value." 

"  If  that  is  what  you  came  to  see  me  about, 
Mr.  Witte,  you  can  spare  yourself  all  future  trouble. 
Sterkfontein  is  not  for  sale." 

•"  Don't  say  that,  Tante  Let.  You  don't  know 
what  a  golden  opportunity  I  am  putting  in  your 
way.  There  is  absolutely  no  risk  or  trouble  in  the 
whole  matter.  You  will  have  your  money  down 
before  you  leave  the  farm." 

"  Please  say  no  more  about  it,  Mr.  Witte,"  said 
Tante  Let,  decisively.  "  I  shall  never  sell  Sterk- 
fontein, even  if  I  am  offered  five  times  what  it  is 
worth,  and  you  will  do  me  a  favour  if  you  never 
mention  the  subject  to  me  again." 

"  Of  course,  I  sprung  the  matter  upon  you  too 
suddenly — I  quite  appreciate  that.  I  scarcely 
expected  any  other  answer,"  returned  Witte,  getting 
up  from  his  chair.  "  Think  it  over,  and  give  me 
a  chance  to  go  into  all  details.  An  opportunity 
such  as  this  offer  undoubtedly  is  comes  one's  way 
only  once  in  a  lifetime." 

Tante  Let  said  no  more,  and  walked  towards  the 
front  door  pointedly.  Witte  mechanically  followed 
and  took  his  departure.  As  he  walked  away  a  frown 
settled  on  his  forehead,  and  he  muttered  to  himself : 


96   THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  You  have  shown  me  the  door  to-day,  but  ere  long 
I  shall  show  you  the  road  leading  from  Sterkfontein." 

In  the  afternoon  Tukie  was  delighted  to  see 
Tante  Let,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Brandt  and  Nettie, 
walk  into  his  shop.  He  regarded  them  as  old  and 
reliable  customers,  who  not  only  bought  a  great 
deal,  but  always  paid  cash  for  their  purchases. 

In  a  moment,  seats  were  provided  for  the  ladies, 
and  Tukie  was  standing  before  them  rubbing  his 
hands  and  smiling  genially,  while  his  tongue  was 
continually  wagging  on  matters  which  he  thought 
might  interest  them. 

"  I  hope,  ladies,  I  shall  be  able  to  sell  you  a  lot 
of  things  to-day,"  he  said,  waving  his  hands  over 
the  shelves. 

"  There  has  been  such  a  run  on  your  goods  during 
the  last  few  days  that  I  am  sure  you  have  nothing 
left  worth  buying,"  observed  Nettie. 

"  Nothing  worth  buying  ?  What  you  think  ?  " 
Tukie  lowered  his  voice  to  a  confidential  whisper, 
"  That's  where  you  make  the  mistake.  We  never 
sell  our  best  stuff  to  come-and-go  customers.  When 
the  Nachtmaal  rush  is  on  we  get  rid  of  all  our  old 
stock,  but  always  keep  our  choicest  goods  for  our 
fixed  customers.     What  you  think  ?  " 

"  What  I  think,"  replied  Nettie,  "  is  that  you 
must  be  very  rich  already." 

Tukie  threw  up  his  arms  with  a  gesture  of  sublime 
despair. 

"  Rich  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Why,  I  am  selling 
cheaper  than  anybody  else,  and  pay  more  for 
produce.  I  am  a  poor  man,  very  poor.  What  you 
think  ?  " 


ANDRIES    WITTE  97 

The  ladies  took  his  assurances  for  what  they  were 
worth,  and  began  their  shopping.  It  was  late  at 
night  before  they  finished,  and  even  then  there  were 
still  several  articles  to  be  obtained  from  other  stores, 
which  Tukie  did  not  have  in  stock. 

Brandt,  Venter  and  Gijs  were  busy  buying  farming 
implements  and  other  necessaries,  including  large 
supplies  of  ammunition,  and,  at  Xante  Let's  special 
instructions,  Gijs  selected  a  rifle  as  a  present  for  Piet 
from  his  mother,  nor  were  his  clasp  knife  and  other 
commissions  forgotten. 

When,  the  following  day,  the  waggons  were  loaded 
again,  there  was  even  less  room  for  the  human 
freight  than  before. 

Tukie  was  in  good  spirits,  for  he  had  done  well 
that  Nachtmaal,  and  did  not  forget  to  make  Tante 
Let  and  her  friends  liberal  presents,  after  they  had 
settled  their  accounts.  When  they  left  the  shop, 
he  ordered  his  clerk  to  send  each  a  few  bottles  of 
brandy  and  wine,  with  his  compliments,  "  in  case 
they  might  require  it  in  times  of  sickness  on  the 
farms." 


CHAPTER   VII 

A   PREMONITION 

ON  Wednesday  afternoon  there  was  quite  a 
large  gathering  at  Xante  Let's  house  to  bid 
her  good-bye.  Even  the  Predikant  and 
his  wife  came  over  to  see  her  off,  for  Xante 
Let  was  a  staunch  church  member,  and  not  only 
contributed  largely  to  its  funds  but,  whenever  she 
visited  the  town,  the  Predikant's  larder  was  replen- 
ished with  biltong,  butter,  huge  loaves  of  Boer 
bread,  and  dried  sausages. 

Biltong  and  dried  sausages  are  comestibles  which 
only  the  Boer  woman  can  prepare.  Xhey  are  the 
despair  of  the  professional  butcher,  with  all  his 
variety  of  polonies  and  richly  flavoured  meats, 
and  the  highest  salaried  chef  is  unable  to  produce 
a  delicacy  to  equal  them. 

During  her  stay  in  town  Nettie  had  received 
marked  attention  from  a  young  man  named  Kemp, 
a  prominent  lawyer  and  auctioneer. 

He  had  contrived  to  monopolize  as  much  of  her 
company  as  time  would  permit  during  those  busy, 
rushing  days,  and  was  present  to  see  her  off.  He  had 
asked  her  acceptance  of  a  small  parcel,  as  he  stood 
in  earnest  conversation  with  her  whilst  the  others 
were  taking  their  seats  in  the  waggons. 

98 


A    PREMONITION  99 

"  I  intend  visiting  an  outlying  farm  in  the  district 
one  day  soon,"  said  Kemp  off-handedly,  as  he  bade 
Du  Plessis  good-bye,  "  and  shall  do  myself  the 
pleasure  of  looking  in  on  you,  if  I  may  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  answered  Du  Plessis. 
"  You  will  be  very  welcome,  but  you  must  take 
things  just  as  you  find  them,  for,  on  farms,  we 
cannot  come  up  to  your  town  style." 

Kemp  laughed  pleasantly  as  he  made  a  tactful 
reply,  and  his  eyes  sought  Nettie's. 

Gijs  and  Wijnand,  with  no  small  chagrin,  had 
noticed  what  was  going  on  during  the  last  few  days, 
though  neither  said  a  word.  Now,  however,  their 
eyes  met,  with  a  world  of  meaning  in  them,  and  for 
the  first  part  of  the  journey  both  were  silent  and 
preoccupied. 

Nettie  could  not  fail  to  notice  their  mood,  and 
with  womanly  instinct  she  divined  the  cause.  She 
did  not  wish  to  quarrel  with  them,  although  her 
natural  vanity  was  flattered,  and  she  therefore  set 
herself  the  task  of  cheering  them  up,  for  the  genial, 
pleasant  spirit  of  the  little  company  was  drooping 
under  the  strain. 

She  had  not  yet  opened  the  small  parcel,  fearing 
that  its  contents  might  be  of  a  variety  which  might 
mislead  others  into  thinking  that  there  was  a  certain 
amount  of  tender  feeUng  between  herself  and  Kemp. 
She  had,  therefore,  to  repress  her  own  inquisitiveness 
until  she  was  alone,  although  she  realised  that  the 
mere  fact  of  keeping  the  contents  of  the  neat  package 
hidden  from  her  companions  compromised  her  still 
more.  It  suggested  mysterious  secrecy — a  thing 
Nettie  hated.. 


100  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  How  dull  we  all  are !  "  she  cried,  with  an 
obviously  forced  laugh.  "  It  almost  seems  as 
though  the  dorp  had  exerted  a  depressing  influence." 

"  Not  so  much  the  town  as  some  of  the  people  who 
live  there,"  mischievously  remarked  one  of  the 
Coetzee  girls,  who  also  had  her  own  ideas  as  to  the 
cause  of  the  cloud. 

"  The  more  reason  why  we  should  be  happy  now 
that  we  are  away  from  them,"  replied  Nettie. 
"  I  am  sure  I  had  my  fill  of  both  town  and  its  people, 
and  shall  be  glad  to  give  them  a  long  rest." 

As  she  said  this  she  glanced  at  Gijs,  and  met  his 
gaze,  but  she  also  noticed  that  Wijnand's  eyes  were 
upon  her  with  a  peculiar  searching  look. 

"  I  don't  know  why  you  should,"  again  interrupted 
the  same  girl.  "  It  is  not  so  very  obnoxious  to  visit 
a  town  where  people  are  kind,  and  give  one  presents." 

The  colour  rose  slightly  to  Nettie's  cheeks,  but 
she  kept  calm,  and  braved  the  situation. 

"  Presents,  like  trials,  come  unasked,  and  the  only 
way  to  deal  with  them  is  to  accept  them  in  a  proper 
spirit,  and  rise  above  them,  as  a  refusal  only  adds 
to  the  unpleasantness  of  their  bestowal." 

This  bit  of  philosophy  effectually  silenced  her 
tormentor,  greatly  reassured  the  two  lovers,  and  in 
some  measure  restored  the  accustomed  good  humour 
of  the  company. 

Nettie  took  the  httle  parcel  from  her  lap,  and 
turning  to  the  Coetzee  girl  said  laughingly. 

"  I  wonder  who  is  the  more  inquisitive  as  to  its 
contents — you  or  I  ?  " 

"  I  ?  "  ejaculated  the  girl  addressed.  "  I  have  no 
desire  at  all  to  know  what  it  contains." 


A    PREMONITION  loi 

"  Really,  you  surprise  me,"  said  Nettie.  "  If 
you  had  received  a  parcel  I  should  be  dying  with 
curiosity  until  you  opened  it.  At  any  rate,  I  am 
going  to  examine  this  mysterious  bundle  now." 

She  loosened  the  string  carefully,  and  deliberately 
opened  the  paper  coverings,  exposing  to  view  two 
very  small  books  in  a  neat  leather  case.  All  eyes 
were  intently  watching,  as  she  took  out  each  little 
book  and  read  their  titles,  "  Hymns  and  Psalms." 

"  A  very  sensible  present !  "  "A  beautiful 
memento  !  "  exclaimed  several  at  the  same  time. 

"A  bit  of  downright  impertinence,"  said  Nettie 
with  mock  annoyance.  "  And  such  a  disappoint- 
ment too  !  I  was  hoping  to  see  some  beautiful  piece 
of  jewelry,  and  instead  of  that  I  get  a  printed  re- 
minder that  I  am  too  frivolous.  Fancy  me — at  my 
time  of  life,  singing  hymns  and  psalms,"  and  she 
pulled  such  a  wry  face  that  all  burst  out  laughing. 

Wijnand,  who  had  now  regained  his  usual  bright 
spirits,  immediately  brought  out  his  concertina,  and 
began  to  play  the  funeral  hymn,  asking  Nettie  to 
sing  it  without  altering  the  expression  of  her  face. 

Gijs,  however,  interfered,  saying  that  it  was  always 
a  bad  omen  to  sing  funeral  hymns  ;  besides,  he  did 
not  wish  sacred  hymns  to  be  sung  in  frivolous  moods. 

Immediately  Nettie  changed  her  expression,  and 
started  off  with  a  comic  song  which  all  knew,  and 
speedily  joined  in. 

Good  feeling  being  thus  restored,  the  journey  pro- 
ceeded smoothly  and  pleasantly  until  late,  when  the 
Brak  River  was  reached,  and  a  halt  was  called  for 
the  night's  rest. 

As  soon  as  the  animals  were  outspanned,  the 


102  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

natives  gathered  large  bundles  of  wood  and  dry 
shrubs,  and  kindled  fires.  The  women  busied  them- 
selves roasting  meat,  making  coffee,  and  preparing 
the  evening  repast,  while  the  men  arranged  the 
waggon  tents,  and  got  ready  the  bedding  for  sleep- 
ing accommodation. 

When  all  was  ready  the  company  gathered 
round  the  fire.  For  the  elder  people  home-made 
stools  were  placed,  whilst  the  younger  ones  con- 
tented themselves  by  squatting  on  bags  and  rugs. 

To  camp  out  under  the  stars  on  a  still,  fine  South 
African  night,  and  sit  around  a  blazing  fire  chatting 
with  pleasant  companions,  is  one  of  the  greatest 
pleasures  life  has  to  offer. 

Now  and  again  the  call  of  a  hunting  jackal  breaks 
the  silence,  then  another,  and  another ;  and  out 
beyond  the  glare  of  the  fire  looms  the  impenetrable 
blackness  and  dark  spaces  of  the  limitless  rolling 
veld. 

The  rare  far-away  baying  of  a  farm  watch  dog, 
the  faint  bleating  of  sheep  straying  in  the  wilderness, 
and  the  shrill,  piercing  cries  of  some  night-bird 
circling  overhead  in  the  dark,  seem  to  accentuate 
the  solemnity  of  the  quiet. 

The  Milky  Way,  with  its  dark  patches  of  illimitable 
void,  the  Seven  Sisters,  and  the  Southern  Cross, 
contribute  to  the  glory  of  the  midnight  sky,  and 
night  after  night  lighten  the  heavens. 

Over  the  veld,  borne  on  the  soft  breeze,  comes 
the  rich  perfume  of  the  avondbloem,  insidious  and 
sweet. 

It  was  nearly  midnight  when  the  circle  round  the 
fire  broke  up.     In  the  various  tents  the  old  people 


A    PREMONITION  103 

found  beds  made  for  them,  the  young  were  prepared 
to  sleep  in  the  open.  The  servants  had  orders  to 
call  every  one  as  soon  as  the  morning  star  arose, 
which  would  be  about  an  hour  before  full  dawn. 
This  would  allow  ample  time  for  packing  up,  coffee 
drinking  and  inspanning,  before  the  sun  rose. 

Gijs  had  been  in  bed  for  three  hours  when  he 
woke  with  a  curious  start.  It  seemed  to  him  that 
the  air  was  full  of  a  peculiar  noise,  low  and  very 
haunting.  He  listened  intently.  The  sound  came 
again — it  was  the  groan  of  some  one  in  pain. 

At  first  the  young  man  could  not  locate  its  direc- 
tion, but,  on  getting  up,  and  walking  towards  the 
other  waggons,  he  found  that  the  strange  sobbing 
cry  came  from  the  spot  where  the  native?  were 
sleeping.  Hurrying  forward  to  ascertain  what  was 
amiss,  and  intending  to  render  assistance,  he  was 
met  by  an  unusual  sight. 

The  natives  were  all  sitting  up  in  their  beds, 
which  were  grouped  around  a  smouldering  fire, 
whilst  a  young  Hottentot,  named  Izaak,  one  of 
Venter's  servants,  was  creeping  about  on  all  fours 
like  an  animal,  and  groaning  at  intervals  as  though 
his  very  life  was  being  tortured  out  of  him. 

It  was  dark,  and  none  of  the  natives  saw  Gijs, 
for  their  attention  was  rivetted  on  the  boy. 

Izaak  crept  from  one  corner  of  his  bed  to  the 
other  restlessly,  round  and  over  it,  forth  and  back, 
occasionally  twisting  and  writhing  about  in  agony, 
groaning  the  while  miserably. 

"  Poor  child  !  "  ejaculated  one  of  the  natives, 
sympathetically,  "  Can  we  do  nothing  for  him  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  boy's  father,  "  no,  the  attack  will 


104  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

pass  as  it  came.  Nothing  will  afford  him  any  relief 
— we  have  tried  everything." 

"  Pitiful !  "  put  in  another,  "  What  terrible  suffer- 
ing !  " 

Gijs,  who  could  not  at  first  understand  what  was 
going  on,  now  became  alarmed  on  hearing  that 
Izaak's  antics  were  due  to  illness,  and,  true  to  his 
sympathetic  nature,  at  once  wanted  to  do  something 
to  help  the  sufferer. 

"  \Vhat  is  the  meaning  of  all  this,  Vaaltyn  ?  " 
he  asked,  stepping  forward.  '"  Wh}''  is  Izaak  carry- 
ing on  so  strangely  ?  " 

"  It  is  an  attack.  Baas." 

"  An  attack  of  what  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  Baas.  He  has  often  had  it 
before,  and  we  can  do  nothing  for  him  whilst  it 
lasts." 

"  Surely  something  can  be  done.  Where  is  he 
suffering  pain  ?  " 

"He  is  not  suffering  any  pain,  Baas,  and  as 
soon  as  the  seizure  leaves  him  he  will  be  all  right 
again." 

"  Not  in  any  pain  at  all !  "  cried  Gijs,  in  surprise. 
"  You  must  be  mistaken.  Just  listen  to  his  groans, 
and  watch  him  crawling  about.  He  ought  to  have 
some  brandy." 

"  It  would  be  of  no  use,  Baas.  He  won't  take  it, 
and  it  would  be  difficult  to  force  it  down  his  throat." 
There  was  infinite  sadness  in  old  Vaaltyn's  voice  as 
he  spoke. 

"  But,  Vaaltyn,  we  must  do  something  for  him. 
We  cannot  let  him  continue  like  this  without  trying 
to  help  him." 


A    PREMONITION  105 

"  We  have  tried  everything  already,"  repeated 
Vaaltyn,  monotonously. 

Gijs,  who  could  bear  it  no  longer,  gently  caught 
hold  of  the  boy  and  tried  to  hold  him  quiet  in  bed, 
but,  to  his  surprise,  found  that,  although  he  exerted 
his  utmost  strength,  he  was  not  able  to  check  a 
single  movement  of  the  frail  youth,  who  flung  the 
Boer  aside  as  though  he  were  a  mere  child.  After 
some  futile  struggles  Izaak  won,  and  Gijs  again 
turned  to  Vaaltyn  and  questioned  him. 

"  How  long  do  these  extraordinary  attacks  last  ?  " 

"  Sometimes  an  hour,  sometimes  longer,  Baas." 

■'  And  to  what  do  you  ascribe  them  ?  "  Gijs 
spoke  in  a  mystified  voice. 

Vaaltyn  drew  up  his  shoulders,  indicating  that 
he  would  rather  not  answer,  but,  after  a  moment  or 
two,  seeing  that  Gijs  still  waited  a  reply,  he  went 
on  :  "  Baas,  I  do  not  know  what  is  the  real  cause 
of  the  seizure,  for  Izaak  has  been  subject  to  them 
from  birth,  but  whenever  he  gets  an  attack  it  is 
immediately  followed  by  bad  news." 

"  Bad  news  !  "  repeated  Gijs,  more  astonished 
than  ever.    "  What  sort  of  bad  news  ?  " 

"  Death  !  "  whispered  the  old  man.  "It  is  a 
sign  of  coming  death  !  " 

"  A  death  in  your  family  ?  " 

"No,  Baas,  not  necessarily  in  my  family,  but  of 
some  person  whom  we  know  well.  He  has  stopped 
groaning,  so  the  attack  is  passing.  I  have  never 
known  it  to  be  quite  so  severe  as  it  was  to-night." 

Gijs  said  nothing,  but  watched  Izaak  closely.  He 
was  gradually  becoming  calmer,  and  after  crawling 
a  few  times  about  his  bed  he  collapsed  suddenly 


io6  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

and  lay  inert  and  still.  Vaaltyn  gently  placed  him 
in  a  comfortable  position,  and  covered  him  up. 

"  He  will  now  sleep  soundly,  Baas,  and  to-morrow 
will  know  nothing  of  what  has  happened.  If  we 
were  to  tell  him  of  this,  he  would  not  believe  us," 

"  And  do  you  really  think  that  a  death  will  occur 
soon  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Baas." 

"  Vaaltyn,  I  want  you  and  the  other  boys  to  say 
nothing  to  anybody — it  would  only  upset  the 
women." 

"We  never  on  any  account  speak  of  it. 
Baas." 

Gijs  went  back  to  bed,  but  not  to  sleep.  He  had 
often  heard  of  premonition  of  death  amongst  natives, 
but  had  never  come  across  an  instance  within  his 
own  personal  experience.  The  incident,  therefore, 
made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind,  and  he  could 
not  forget.  He  tried  to  console  himself  with  the 
thought  that  Hottentots  are  known  to  be  a  most 
superstitious  race,  who  look  upon  any  out-of-the-way 
occurrence  as  a  sign  of  warning  that  something 
is  going  to  happen. 

Hottentots  do  not  acknowledge  coincidences.  If 
anything  occurs  after  one  of  their  signs,  it  is  sufficient 
proof  of  the  efficacy  of  the  sign,  just  as  the  absence 
of  the  expected  result  is  ascribed  to  the  beneficent 
intervention  of  the  Deity. 

For  all  that,  Gijs  felt  ill  at  ease.  Izaak's  attack 
was  of  such  a  strange  and  awe-inspiring  nature, 
that  it  might  forebode  evil  of  any  sort,  although  he 
found  it  hard  to  believe  that  the  young  Hottentot 
could  be  gifted,  or  cursed,  with  a  sense  of  prophecy. 


A    PREMONITION  107 

He  determined  not  to  mention  the  matter  to  any  of 
his  fellow-travellers,  but  to  watch  for  results. 

As  sleep  was  entirely  banished  from  his  eyes,  it 
seemed  an  age  before  the  morning  star  rose  above 
the  horizon.  When  at  length  it  did  put  in  an  appear- 
ance the  native  boys  began  to  stir.  Soon  a  fire  was 
lit,  and  the  kettle  put  on  to  prepare  coffee.  One  of 
the  natives  went  the  round  of  the  sleepers  to  wake 
them  in  obedience  to  his  orders,  and  within  five 
minutes  all  were  up,  performing  their  morning 
ablutions  and  getting  ready  for  the  homeward 
journey. 

Gijs  noticed  that,  though  all  the  boys  were  busy 
about  the  waggons,  they  did  not  waken  Izaak — 
whose  duty  it  was  to  carry  coffee  to  the  various 
tents — but  left  him  sleeping  until  it  was  time  to 
inspan,  when  Vaaltyn  went  to  wake  him  with  a 
piece  of  bread  and  a  cup  of  coffee. 

Izaak  jumped  up  when  his  father  called  him,  and 
enjoyed  the  coffee  and  bread,  as  though  nothing 
had  happened.  He  was  told  to  hurry  up  and  assist 
in  getting  the  animals  together  for  inspanning,  which 
he  did  with  such  cheerfulness  as  to  belie  all  know- 
ledge of  his  nocturnal  suffering. 

Gijs  was  amazed  at  seeing  the  young  native  so 
alert  and  smiling,  for  he  made  sure  that  Izaak 
would  be  peevish  and  ill,  or  at  least  show  some  after- 
effects of  the  attack. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see  clearly,  the 
journey  was  resumed.  An  early  start  was  neces- 
sary, for  it  was  still  a  good  day's  journey  to  reach 
Sterkfontein  before  nightfall,  with  heavy  loaded 
waggons. 


io8  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Du  Plessis  with  his  wife  and  Tante  Let  in  his  cart, 
proposed  to  go  ahead,  as  he  wished  to  call  at  a 
wayside  farm,  some  miles  off  the  road,  to  see  some 
friends,  and  promised  to  rejoin  the  party  some  time 
during  the  afternoon  at  a  certain  spot  indicated. 
As  his  horses  were  fresh,  he  soon  left  the  waggons 
behind  and  disappeared  in  the  distance. 

Those  who  know  how  to  work  with  oxen,  believe 
it  to  be  bad  to  keep  them  in  the  yoke  longer  than  an 
hour  and  a  half  for  the  first  stage  in  the  morning. 
The  shorter  the  morning  "  schoft  "  (as  the  Dutch 
term  a  stage),  the  better  the  animal  will  be  able  to 
work  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  It  was  therefore 
hardly  yet  time  for  breakfast,  when  the  first  halt 
was  called  to  outspan  the  oxen. 

Water  is  not  plentiful  in  the  Karroo,  and  trav- 
ellers have  to  arrange  their  stages  so  as  to  reach 
water  at  suitable  intervals,  and  often  a  full  day's 
journey  has  to  be  made  from  one  watering-place 
to  another. 

While  breakfast  was  being  prepared,  the  boys 
drove  the  oxen  to  the  water,  which  was  some  distance 
from  the  waggons,  over  a  low  rise.  No  sooner  had 
the  natives  come  to  its  crest  than  Izaak  rushed 
back,  while  the  other  natives  squatted  down  low  to 
ground,  hiding  themselves,  apparently,  from  some- 
thing on  the  other  side. 

Izaak  ran  to  his  master  and  told  him  that  there 
was  a  large  flock  of  wild  ostriches  grazing  near  the 
water,  within  easy  range  from  the  summit  of 
the  hill. 

Immediately  the  sporting  spirit  in  every  man 
present  was  aroused,  but  alas  !   there  was  only  one 


A    PREMONITION  109 

gun — the  one  bought  by  Tante  Let  as  a  present  for 
Piet. 

Jumping  on  the  waggon  and  fumbling  about  as  he 
shifted  the  parcels  and  bags,  Gijs  at  last  fished  out 
the  gun  and  some  ammunition. 

Brandt,  being  the  oldest  among  the  company, 
and  very  famous  for  the  deadhness  of  his  aim,  was 
offered  the  gun.  He  took  it  protesting  that  he  did 
not  wish  to  deprive  the  younger  fellows  of  the  chance 
offered,  but  all  insisted  that  he  should  have  first 
try  at  the  birds  as  he  was  the  surest  shot. 

The  old  sportsman's  eyes  shone  with  excitement 
as  he  took  the  gun  and  threw  it  up  to  test  the  sights. 

"  Does  it  shoot  high  or  low,  Gijs  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  know,  Oom  Jan.  I  had  no  time 
to  try  it  on  the  day  mother  bought  it.  It  was 
selected  solely  by  appearance." 

"  Well,  I  can  see  that  it  is  likely  to  shoot  low, 
for  the  sight  is  so  high.  I  shall  therefore  try  to 
cover  my  game  entirely." 

And  away  he  trotted  to  the  spot  where  the 
patient  natives  were  still  squatting,  closely  followed 
at  the  heel  by  Izaak,  and,  at  some  distance,  by  the 
other  men,  who  were  eager  to  see  the  sport.  When 
he  reached  the  natives,  they  pointed  to  the  spot 
where  the  birds  were,  and  as  it  was  near  the  top  of 
the  rise,  he  took  off  his  hat  and  walked  on  carefully, 
watching  intently  for  the  first  glimpse  of  the  quarry. 

Suddenly  Brandt  bent  down  and  retraced  his 
steps  until  he  reached  the  other  men. 

"It  is  impossible  to  reach  them  from  this  rise 
as  they  have  retreated  from  the  oxen  and  are  now 
beyond  range,"  he  said.    "  There  is  another  kopje 


no  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

close  on  the  other  side  of  them,  and  we  shall  have 
to  circumvent  them.  As  we  cannot  afford  to  lose 
too  much  time  here,"  he  continued,  "  it  must  be 
done  quickly,  and  one  of  you  young  fellows  had 
better  take  the  gun." 

Gijs  and  Wijnand  accordingly  agreed  to  go  round 
the  ostriches  to  get  a  shot  at  them,  and  promised 
not  to  lose  any  time,  while  Brandt  said  he  would 
watch  from  the  rise,  and  in  the  event  of  their  killing 
any  he  would  come  with  the  cart. 

The  two  started  off  at  right  angles  to  the  birds, 
and  had  to  make  a  great  detour  to  reach  the  kopje, 
and  remain  out  of  sight  all  the  time. 

The  wild  ostrich  of  the  Karroo  is  the  most 
difficult  of  all  game  to  approach.  Having  a  very 
long  neck  and  being  exceptionally  keen  sighted,  it 
has  the  advantage  of  a  greater  range  of  vision  than 
other  animals.  It  is  so  timid,  that  it  takes  to  flight 
at  the  merest  suspicion  of  danger,  and  once  started, 
does  not  stop  running  until  several  miles  have  been 
covered. 

But  the  Boer  is  an  expert  in  the  art  of  stalking 
game,  and  despite  the  alertness  of  the  ostrich,  it  is 
very  often  outwitted  and  falls  to  his  unerring  aim. 
Of  all  game  the  ostrich  is  the  Boer's  favourite 
quarry.  It  requires  more  time  and  ingenuity  to 
stalk,  and  on  account  of  its  long  legs  is  very  deceptive 
to  shoot  at,  but  when  once  bagged  it  repays  all 
trouble.  Its  feathers  are  always  in  demand  by 
produce  buyers  and  bring  good  prices,  while  its 
flesh  is  considered  a  great  dehcacy. 

After  waiting  for  about  half  an  hour,   Brandt 
heard  a  shot   and  saw   a   bird  drop.     The  flock 


A    PREMONITION  iii 

scattered  at  once  in  flight,  but  a  few  seconds  later 
a  second  shot  sounded,  and  another  bird  was  added 
to  the  bag.  Still  another  shot  and  another,  but 
without  effect,  as  the  birds  were  by  that  time  a 
great  way  off  and  running  at  full  speed — a  speed 
which  equals  that  of  a  racehorse. 

As  promised,  Brandt  got  the  cart  ready,  and  went 
to  fetch  the  birds  that  were  shot.  He  knew  that  it 
would  mean  at  least  an  hour's  delay,  and  that  it 
would  be  quite  dark  by  the  time  they  reached 
home,  but  it  was  out  of  the  question  to  leave  the 
game,  so  he  hurried  the  horses  on,  as  fast  as 
he.  could,  over  the  low  shrubby  bushes  and 
stones. 

When  he  arrived  the  hunters  had  already  taken 
out  the  entrails  of  the  ostriches  and  prepared  them 
for  loading  up.  They  were  beautiful  specimens, 
and  showed  a  fine  crop  of  prime  feathers.  It  took 
all  the  strength  of  the  three  men  combined  to  lift 
each  bird  into  the  cart,  and  when  both  were  loaded 
up,  it  was  as  much  as  two  horses  could  do  to  pull 
through  the  veld. 

Gijs  had  insisted  upon  Wijnand  taking  the  gun 
and  shooting,  so  that  he  was  the  hero  of  the  day, 
which  gave  him  the  right  to  select  the  best  plume 
from  each  bird.  This  he  did  as  soon  as  they  reached 
the  waggon,  with  a  great  show  of  importance,  by 
carefuUy  examining  each  feather,  until  his  choice 
was  made.  Then,  turning  to  Nettie,  he  presented 
the  plumes  to  her  with  a  low  bow,  saying  :  "  Will 
your  ladyship  deign  to  accept  this  trophy  of  the 
chase  from  our  mutual  friend  Gijs  ?  " 

"  From   me  ?  "   interrupted   Gijs.    "  Why,   you 


112  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

are  the  hero  in  this  affray.  It  is  due  to  your  skill 
that  the  presentation  can  be  made  at  all." 

"  Well,  it  was  only  your  unselfishness  that  gave 
me  the  chance  of  bringing  down  this  veteran  of  the 
flats,"  laughed  Wijnand. 

Nettie  took  the  plumes  from  the  young  man's 
hand  and  said  smilingly,  "  I  accept  them  as  a  gift 
from  you  both,  and  I  shall  wear  them  in  remem- 
brance of  David  and  Jonathan." 

Those  who  had  not  yet  breakfasted  made  a  hasty 
meal,  whilst  the  natives  inspanned  the  oxen  and 
prepared  to  start. 

Vaaltyn,  who  was  still  on  the  waggon  tying  up  the 
birds,  looked  ahead  down  the  road  and  exclaimed 
that  he  saw  a  man  on  horseback  coming  towards 
them  at  full  gallop.  Shading  his  eyes  with  his  hands 
he  gazed  intently  at  the  approaching  rider,  who  was 
still  two  miles  away.  Then,  suddenly,  jumping  off 
the  waggon,  he  went  up  to  Gijs  and  said  in  a  low 
undertone,  so  low  that  the  others  could  not  hear  : 
"  Baas,  this  man  riding  towards  us  at  such  speed 
is  your  old  servant  Jantje,  and  he  is  mounted  on 
Prince  !    Something  bad  has  happened." 


CHAPTER   VIII 

DEATH 

PRINCE,  a  young  stallion  that  Gijs  had  lately 
bought  and  broken  in,  was  kept  in  the 
stable  solely  for  his  master's  use.  No  one 
but  Gijs  had  ever  mounted  Prince  before, 
and  none  of  the  servants  would  have  dared  to  do  so, 
unless  specially  ordered,  for  it  was  an  unwritten 
law  that  a  young  Boer's  stable  horse  was  kept 
exclusively  for  the  use  of  its  particular  owner.  It 
was  only  dire  necessity  that  would  compel  even  a 
bosom  friend  to  ask  for  the  loan  of  another's  fancy 
horse. 

For  a  servant  to  be  seen  riding  his  master's 
special  horse,  during  his  absence,  meant  a  severe 
thrashing  in  those  days,  and  was  a  risk  few  were 
venturesome  enough  to  take.  When,  therefore,  a 
servant  did  court  the  certain  heavy  punishment, 
there  must  be  some  weighty  reason  for  his  doing 
so.  Hence  Vaaltyn's  fear  that  something  terrible 
had  happened.  When  Gijs  understood  the  import 
of  Vaaltyn's  words,  he  felt  quite  dazed  for  the 
moment.  His  first  impulse  was  anger  that  his  horse 
should  be  ridden  during  his  absence,  but,  in  a  flash, 
the  fact  da\vned  upon  him  that  Jantje  was  too 
faithful  a  servant  to  break  a  command,  unless 
H  113 


114  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

circumstances  over  which  he  had  no  control  com- 
pelled him,  and  besides,  the  Hottentot  was  riding 
fast,  and  in  the  direction  from  which  he  expected 
his  master. 

For  a  few  seconds  Gijs  stood  undecided  what  to 
do,  then  he  went  over  to  Brandt,  who  was  already 
sitting  on  the  cart  waiting  for  the  waggons  to  start, 
and  hurriedly  explained  the  position  to  him. 

Brandt  suggested  driving  on  ahead  of  the  waggons 
to  meet  Jantje  and  hear  the  news.  Mrs.  Brandt 
and  Mrs.  Venter  were  already  on  the  cart,  and  Gijs 
jumped  in  as  Brandt  started  the  horses. 

As  Jantje  was  approaching  at  a  good  speed,  they 
met  but  a  short  distance  away  from  the  waggons. 
Gijs  alighted  just  as  his  servant,  who  had  recognised 
his  master  from  some  distance,  reined  in. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Jantje  ?  Wliy  do  you  race 
like  this  ?  " 

Gijs  was  in  a  fever  of  anxiety  as  he  took  Prince's 
reins.  The  horse's  sides  were  working  like  a  pair 
of  bellows,  and  his  flanks  were  foam-flecked. 

Jantje  jumped  off  as  the  horse  came  to  a  stand- 
still, and  going  to  Gijs  threw  himself  on  the  ground 
before  his  master,  and  caught  hold  of  his  legs  with 
both  arms,  which,  among  natives,  indicates  acute 
distress. 

"Oh,  Baas "  began  the  old  Hottentot,  but 

got  no  further.  He  burst  into  a  fit  of  weeping,  and 
continued  clinging  to  his  master's  legs. 

"  What  is  it  ?  Speak,  Jantje  !  "  commanded 
Gijs. 

"  Oh,  Baas,  the  children  !  "  he  managed  to  sob 
out. 


DEATH  115 

"  The  children  !  Speak,  cannot  you  ?  I  can't 
bear  this  much  longer." 

"  Klein  Baas  Piet  and   Klein   Baas  Japie " 

Again  his  emotion  overcame  him  and  he  could  not 
get  on. 

"  Oh,  my  God  !  Don't  say  that  something  has 
happened  to  them  ?  "  cried  Mrs.  Brandt,  who  was 
Ustening  intently. 

No  sooner  was  her  son's  name  mentioned  than 
she  turned  deadly  pale,  and  hurriedly  getting  out 
of  the  cart  ran  to  Jantje,  whom  she  shook  by  the 
shoulders  violently  enough  to  make  him  let  go  his 
hampering  grip  on  the  young  Boer's  legs. 

Jantje's  whole  frame  was  shaking  with  the  stress 
of  his  feelings.  He  was  obviously  trying  hard  to 
control  himself  and  speak,  though  he  could  not  do 
so  with  the  celerity  Mrs.  Brandt  desired. 

"  Do  speak,  Jantje  !  What  is  wrong  ?  "  She 
spoke  in  a  coaxing  voice. 

"  Both  the  children  are  lost !  "  he  blurted  out  at 
length. 

"  Lost  !  How  can  they  be  lost  ?  Have  you 
searched  everywhere  ?  Did  you  go  over  to  Boshoek 
to  enquire  if  they  were  there  ?  And  to  all  the  farms 
lying  beyond  ?  " 

"  We  have  looked  for  them  night  and  day,  but 
can  find  no  trace  of  them."  Jantje's  outburst  of 
grief  having  spent  itself,  he  became  calmer  and  spoke 
coherently.  "  That  is  why  I  came  to  meet  my 
master,  so  that  he  too  may  come  and  search." 

Gijs  looked  at  Jantje  searchingly.  "  You  are 
teUing  lies,  Jantje,"  he  said,  curtly. 

The  Hottentot  crouched  before  his  master  like 


ii6    THE    BREATH   OF   THE    KARROO 

a  dog  expecting  a  whipping,  as  he  whimpered  half 
aloud  and  half  to  himself,  "  No,  no,  Baas.  I  teU 
the  truth." 

"  Take  Prince  and  lead  him  round  to  get  cool." 

StiU  wiping  the  tears  from  his  eyes,  Jantje  did 
as  he  was  told. 

In  the  meantime  the  waggons  had  come  up  with 
the  cart,  and  all  the  others  grouped  themselves 
round  to  hear  the  news. 

Brandt  had  not  spoken  a  word,  but  was  sitting 
on  the  cart  in  deep  thought,  pulling  his  black  beard. 
Mrs.  Brandt  was  crying,  and  Mrs.  Venter  was 
doing  her  best  to  comfort  her  by  suggesting  that 
the  boys  had  probably  gone  off  to  some  neigh- 
bouring farm  and  would  most  likely  be  back  at 
Sterkfontein  by  the  time  the  waggons  arrived 
there. 

Gijs,  however,  was  not  deceived — he  knew 
Jantje  too  well.  If  the  children  were  indeed  lost, 
the  Hottentot  would  never  have  given  up  the  hunt 
to  come  and  tell  his  master  about  it.  He  would 
have  stuck  to  the  trail  like  the  tracker  he  was.  It 
was  certain,  therefore,  that  the  servant  was  lying 
when  he  said  he  could  not  find  the  boys. 

Instead  of  leading  the  horse  around  the  carts, 
Jantje  walked  him  away  into  the  veld,  giving  Gijs 
a  sign  to  follow.  Carefully  the  young  Boer  edged 
away  from  the  group,  who  were  all  excitedly 
discussing  the  matter,  and  went  after  his  servant. 
He  had  not  gone  far  before  he  found  Wijnand  at  his 
side. 

"  You  did  not  tell  me  the  truth  just  now,  Jantje," 
said  Gijs  accusingly. 


DEATH  117 

"  No,  Baas,"  was  the  meek  reply, 

"  Where  are  the  boys  ?  " 

"  Dead,  Baas.  They  were  both  murdered  yester- 
day by  Bushmen,  but  I  had  not  the  heart  to  say  so 
before  the  Ou  Nooi." 

Gijs,  with  the  recollection  of  Izaak's  strange 
seizure  and  Vaaltyn's  interpretation  of  it,  strong 
upon  him,  was  more  or  less  prepared  for  the  worst, 
but  the  news  staggered  him  when  it  came.  As  for 
Wijnand,  who  merely  thought  that  the  boys  had 
gone  out  on  some  adventurous  expedition  which 
had  taken  them  far  afield,  he  was  dazed  by  the 
shock,  and  cried  in  a  low,  trembling  voice  :  "  Mur- 
dered !     Murdered  !  " 

At  that  moment  the  women  were  all  talking 
together,  and  fortunately  did  not  catch  the  sharp 
exclamation,  but  Brandt,  who  sat  quietly  in  the 
cart,  heard  it  distinctly.  Every  muscle  in  his  body 
seemed  to  relax  suddenly,  and  he  felt  powerless  to 
lift  his  head,  as  it  sank  lower  and  lower  on  his  breast. 
A  look  of  intense  distress  spread  over  his  face,  large 
tears  began  to  roll  down  his  cheeks,  and  in  the  agony 
of  his  suffering  he  left  them  unwiped. 

Nettie,  who  happened  to  look  at  him,  saw  how 
white  his  face  had  become.  She  immediately  went 
near  to  him,  and  said,  tenderly  :  "  Oom  Jan,  you 
must  not  worry  about  it  in  the  very  least.  I  can 
tell  exactly  what  has  happened.  The  boys  know 
that  we  will  come  home  to-night,  and  mean  to  have 
a  good  supply  of  game  for  us.  They  have  gone  out 
after  buck  and,  though  they  intended  to  get  home 
in  good  time,  have  roamed  farther  than  they  thought. 
I  bet  you  my  new  hymn  and  psalm  books,  with  a 


ii8  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

kiss  into  the  bargain,  that  both  Piet  and  Japie  will 
be  home  when  we  arrive,  and  mighty  proud  to  show 
us  all  the  game  they  have  shot." 

She  laughed  merrily  to  cheer  up  the  old  man  and 
inspire  him  with  hope,  although  at  heart  she  felt 
as  worried  and  concerned  as  the  rest. 

Brandt,  in  common  with  all  who  knew  her,  loved 
Nettie,  but  at  that  moment  her  words,  well  meant 
as  he  knew  they  were,  stabbed  him  to  the  heart, 
and  her  laugh  sounded  a  mockery.  He  groaned  in 
reply,  and  covered  his  face  with  his  hands. 

Gijs  and  Wijnand  were  slowly  returning  to  the 
little  company  grouped  about  the  cart,  not  knowing 
how  to  break  the  news  to  the  others.  They  were 
spared  the  pain  of  doing  so  by  Brandt,  who,  having 
pulled  himself  together,  got  out  of  the  cart,  and 
throwing  the  reins  to  a  native,  went  to  his  wife. 
Putting  his  arm  about  her  he  said  very  gently  : 
"  Lenie,  death  has  come  to  our,  and  Nicht  Let's, 
house.     It  is  God's  will.     Let  us  be  still." 

"  Death !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Brandt,  her  eyes 
staring  uncomprehendingly  at  her  husband.  "  Who 
is  dead  ?  " 

"  Be  calm,  my  dear.  It  has  pleased  the  Lord 
to  take  Japie  and  Piet  from  our  homes." 

"  It  cannot  be !  "  she  almost  screamed,  and 
then  becoming  hysterical,  she  laughed  and  cried 
at  the  same  time.  "  Don't  say  so.  I'll  not 
believe  it  !  It  is  not  true  !  God  could  not  be 
so  cruel." 

Brandt  tried  to  calm  her,  but  she  became  inert 
and  fell  into  his  arms,  fainting.  The  whole  group 
were  moved  to  tears,  except  Gijs,  who,  with  a  blank 


DEATH  119 

stare,  bit  his  finger  nails,  as  was  his  custom  when 
in  perplexity  or  distress. 

There  he  stood,  to  all  outward  appearance 
unmoved  by  the  grief  around  him,  but  those  who 
understood  him  and  his  curious  nature,  knew  that 
he  was  suffering  the  bitterest  pangs  of  sorrow,  not 
only  on  his  own  account,  but  for  his  mother  and  the 
Brandts. 

Nettie,  who  had  never  seen  him  under  such 
painful  circumstances,  thought  that  he  was  keeping 
up  appearances  for  the  sake  of  the  little  company. 
Going  to  him,  she  took  his  hand,  and  pressed  it 
without  saying  anything  at  all — a  silent  sympathy 
that  spoke  more  than  any  words. 

Gijs  suddenly  recollected  how  time  was  speeding 
on.  Pulling  himself  together  he  asked  all  to  take 
their  seats  ;  then,  turning  to  the  natives,  he  bade 
them  hurry  forward  as  fast  as  the  oxen  could 
travel  And  as  they  journeyed,  Jantje  told  his 
master  and  Wijnand  all  he  could  of  the  terrible 
tragedy. 

Piet  and  Japie  had  gone  on  a  hunting  expedition 
early  the  previous  morning,  promising  to  be  back 
in  time  for  dinner.  The  dinner-hour  came  and  went, 
the  sun  set,  and  still  the  boys  did  not  return.  Mrs. 
Van  der  Vyver,  becoming  anxious,  and  fearing  that 
they  had  met  with  some  accident,  sent  Jantje  in 
search. 

Following  up  the  spoor,  the  Hottentot  came  on 
all  that  was  left  of  Piet  and  Japie.  It  was  just 
dusk  as  he  found  the  bodies,  arrow-stuck,  and 
deprived  of  all  clothing,  cut  open,  too,  after  the 
manner  of  slaughtered  sheep.    Placed  as  they  were 


120  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

on  the  top  of  some  large  thickly-growing  bushes,  it 
was  impossible  not  to  see  them,  and  the  arrows,  as 
well  as  the  brutal  treatment  of  the  dead,  proclaimed 
at  once  that  Bushmen  were  the  perpetrators  of 
the  crime. 

Jantje  left  the  bodies  where  he  found  them,  and 
ran  home  to  report  to  Van  der  Vyver,  who  felt  the 
blow  severely.  He  couJd  not  forget  that  the 
children  had  been  left  in  his  charge.  As  there  was 
nobody  to  consult  Van  der  Vyver  had  to  act  upon 
his  own  initiative.  He  knew  that  an  occurrence  of 
that  nature  had  to  be  reported  to  the  Field  Cornet, 
and  as  the  official  lived  many  miles  away  from 
Sterkfontein,  he  decided  to  leave  the  farm  at  three 
o'clock  next  morning,  and  get  back  in  time  to  make 
arrangements  for  the  funeral.  His  wife,  howe^'er, 
would  not  rest  until  Jantje  was  ordered  to  take 
Prince,  and  ride  out  to  meet  the  travellers  returning 
from  Nachtmaal. 

The  recital  of  Jantje's  story  was  punctuated  by 
exclamations  of  horror.  And  every  one  thought  of 
Tante  Let,  who  had  yet  to  learn  of  the  great  sorrow 
in  store  for  her. 

"  Who  is  to  tell  Tante  Let  ?  "  asked  Wijnand. 
"  It  is  unthinkable  that  Gijs  should  have  to  do  so." 

"  There  are  only  two  others  here  who  could  do 
it,"  said  Venter.     "  Nettie,  or  Oom  Jan." 

"  Oh,  please  don't  ask  me  !  "  cried  Nettie,  almost 
crying  as  she  spoke.  "  I  could  not  break  such  news 
to  any  one." 

Brandt  agreed  to  take  the  unpleasant  task  upon 
himself,  and  decided  to  drive  ahead  to  meet  Du 
Plessis's  cart  at  the  place  agreed  upon. 


DEATH  121 

The  waggons  were  now  pushed  forward  as  quickly 
as  possible  in  order  to  reach  the  farm  early,  and  the 
oxen,  knowing  that  their  heads  were  towards  the 
manger,  stepped  forward  briskly. 

Arrived  at  the  spot  arranged  by  Du  Plessis  as  a 
meeting-ground,  the  caravan  found  no  signs  of 
carts.  A  native  herdsman,  tending  sheep  some 
distance  off,  was  hailed,  and  replied  that  a  cart 
stood  for  about  half  an  hour  before  being  joined  by 
another,  after  which  the  two  moved  off  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Sterkfontein. 

The  oxen  had  been  in  the  yoke  since  breakfast- 
time,  and  Venter  suggested  a  halt,  to  which  Gijs 
objected,  saying  that  they  must  go  forward.  Just 
as  the  sun  was  setting  the  sad  little  company  arrived 
at  the  homestead. 

It  is  astonishing  how  quickly  news  spreads  in  a 
country  where  farms  are  miles  and  miles  apart, 
and  when  tidings  of  sickness  or  death  are  received 
every  Boer  is  ready  and  anxious  to  render  assistance. 

Van  der  Vyver,  on  his  way  to  the  Field  Cornet, 
had  no  time  to  touch  anywhere,  but  mentioned 
the  object  of  his  errand  to  the  few  neighbours  he 
met  on  the  road,  and  through  their  agency  the  news 
spread  to  such  an  extent  that,  when  Gijs  arrived 
with  the  waggons,  there  was  a  small  crowd  of  sym- 
pathisers standing  before  the  house,  whilst  a  number 
of  women  were  inside  ready  to  do  for  Tante  Let  and 
the  Brandts  whatever  lay  in  their  power. 

Gijs  gravely  shook  hands  with  all  the  men,  and 
walked  into  the  house  to  find  his  mother.  Tante 
Let  was  sitting  at  a  little  table  against  the  wall, 
at   one  side  of  the  dining-room — a  place  always 


122  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

occupied  by  her  since  she  first  came  to  Sterkfontein. 
Her  late  husband  used  to  sit  directly  opposite,  but, 
since  his  death,  Gijs  had  taken  possession  of  the 
chair,  as  his  own  special  sanctum  in  the  house. 

The  women,  sitting  around,  were  talking  in  under- 
tones, but  as  soon  as  Gijs  entered,  silence  fell  on  all. 
He  walked  straight  to  his  mother,  threw  his  arms 
around  her  neck,  and  kissed  her. 

Neither  mother  nor  son  spoke.  Words,  at  that 
moment,  were  superfluous,  and  would  have  been 
hopelessly  inadequate. 

Several  of  the  women  began  to  cry,  but  never  a 
tear  fell  from  Tante  Let's  eyes,  and  the  vacant, 
far-away  look  in  them  spoke  of  a  sorrow  too  deep 
for  expression.  Occasionally,  when  the  yearning 
for  her  murdered  son  overcame  her,  she  gasped  in 
the  throes  of  a  choking  sensation  that  seemed  to 
grip  her  by  the  throat  as  she  struggled  with  the 
force  that  enjoined  quiet  submission  to  a  Higher 
Hand,  and  the  human  nature  that  insisted  upon  open 
rebelUon  against  the  crushing  blow. 

Wijnand  followed  Gijs  into  the  house  and  kissed 
Tante  Let,  but  left  immediately  to  go  on  to  Boshoek 
to  assist  his  father.  Nettie  had  loitered  outside, 
as  she  thought  the  meeting,  under  such  tragic 
circumstances,  between  a  mother  and  her  only  son, 
too  sacred  to  witness. 

When  she  saw  Gijs  come  out  of  the  house,  she 
entered.  Tante  Let  rose  in  her  seat,  and  opened 
her  arms.  Nettie  had  kept  back  her  tears  up  to  now 
as  well  as  she  could,  but  as  she  buried  her  face  on 
Tante  Let's  bosom,  she  cried  and  cried  as  though 
she  herself  were  the  principal  sufferer.     Tante  Let 


DEATH  123 

understood,  and,  kissing  the  girl  on  the  cheek,  said 
quietly,  "  Let  us  be  still,  my  child." 

Again  the  far-away  look  came  into  the  mother's 
eyes.  "  I  humble  myself  before  God,"  she  mur- 
mured, "  because  my  love  for  my  children  has  rivalled 
my  love  for  Him,  and  He  chastiseth  me  for  it,  but 
I  know  He  does  so  in  all  kindness." 

In  the  meantime  Van  der  Vyver  had  not  been  idle. 
Since  three  o'clock  that  morning  he  had  been  on 
the  move,  making  arrangements  for  the  funeral. 
It  was  six  hours'  hard  driving  to  fetch  the  Field 
Comet,  whose  duty  it  was  to  hold  an  inquest. 

He  had  taken  the  Cornet  to  view  the  bodies,  and 
when  that  was  over,  hastened  to  another  farm 
twelve  miles  away,  where  the  only  carpenter  in  the 
neighbourhood  lived. 

Van  der  Vyver  had  just  returned  when  the  carts 
arrived  with  Tante  Let  and  the  Brandts,  and  he 
had  to  give  as  full  an  account  as  possible  of  what 
had  taken  place.  He  was  able  to  tell  them  that  he 
had  sent  one  of  the  young  Boers  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood, who  had  offered  help,  with  a  note  to 
Oom  Carel  van  der  Merwe,  an  elder  of  the  Church, 
who  Hved  some  four  hours  away,  asking  him  to 
come  over  the  following  morning  to  conduct  the 
funeral  service. 

Tante  Let  expressed  her  appreciation,  and  left  all 
the  arrangements  in  the  hands  of  der  Vyver.  After 
some  consultation  it  was  decided  that,  as  the  boys 
died  together,  their  bodies  should  be  placed  in  one 
grave,  and  at  Sterkfontein. 

Tante  Let  gave  instructions  for  the  exact  spot, 
after  which  der  Vyver  despatched  some  young  men 


124  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

to  all  the  neighbouring  farms  to  announce  the 
funeral  for  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning,  while  he 
himself  inspanned  the  waggon,  and  took  two  coffins 
to  the  veld  to  fetch  the  bodies. 

When  Brandt  and  his  wife  arrived  at  Boshoek, 
they  also  found  a  goodly  number  of  friends  and 
neighbours  waiting  to  know  whether  they  could 
render  any  assistance  at  the  funeral. 

A  long  and  tedious  night  followed  for  Tante  Let. 
Sleep  was  out  of  the  question,  and  when  she  occa- 
sionally dozed  off  for  a  moment,  her  vivid  mind 
pictured  her  boy  so  distinctly  that  she  wakened  up 
to  kiss  him.  Once  she  thought  she  saw  him  come 
into  her  room  in  the  old  famihar  way.  So  clear  was 
the  vision  that  she  involuntarily  threw  out  her 
arms  to  clasp  him. 

Alas  !   she  was  alone. 

Sitting  up  in  bed,  half-dazed,  she  began  to  wonder 
whether  she  had  not  dreamt  that  he  was  dead,  but 
soon  returning  consciousness  brought  back  the 
irrevocable  truth,  and  she  fell  back  on  her  pillow 
with  a  groan. 

So  the  night  dragged  on,  until  at  last  the  eastern 
sky  showed  signs  of  returning  day,  when,  exhausted 
and  overpowered  by  the  severe  mental  strain, 
Tante  Let  fell  into  a  brief,  calm  sleep. 


CHAPTER    IX 

PURSUIT 

IN  sparsely-populated  districts,  where  life  offers 
very  little  excitement,  and  where  conversa- 
tion is  limited  to  the  discussion  of  domestic 
affairs,  a  death  is  an  important  event,  and 
becomes  a  common  topic  for  weeks. 

When  it  became  known  that  two  innocent  boys 
had  been  cruelly  murdered,  the  whole  countryside 
was  loud  in  expressions  of  sympathy,  and  unanimous 
in  condemning  Bushmen  as  a  pest  to  be  wiped  off 
the  face  of  the  earth. 

Tante  Let  being  held  in  very  high  esteem  for  her 
self-sacrificing  kindness  to  others  in  times  of  sickness 
and  trouble,  it  was  felt  by  every  one  that  the  blow 
struck  by  the  Bushmen  had  descended  upon  the 
whole  community,  and  called  for  immediate  and 
united  action.  On  all  sides  threats  were  heard, 
and  the  doom  of  the  Bushmen  as  a  tribe  was 
pronounced. 

Every  one  felt  it  his  sacred  duty  to  go  to  the 
funeral,  not  only  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  the  parents 
and  relatives  of  the  boys,  but  to  offer  help  and 
consolation,  and  to  discuss  the  situation  with  others, 
for  it  was  certain  that  all  who  could  reach  Sterk- 
fontein  in  time  would  attend,  and  indeed  from  early 

125 


126  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

that  morning  people  were  arriving  from  all  direc- 
tions. 

It  was  impossible  for  all  the  people  to  get  into  the 
house,  and  it  was  decided  to  have  the  funeral  in  the 
open.  Men  were  forming  themselves  into  groups 
all  over  the  homestead,  talking  earnestly  in  under- 
tones, until  Van  der  Vjrver  called  them  together  at 
the  back  of  the  house,  where  he  placed  the  two 
coffins  on  chairs. 

Tante  Let,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brandt,  and  a  few  of  the 
oldest  people,  were  provided  with  seats,  while  the 
rest  stood  around  with  heads  uncovered. 

Oom  Carel  van  der  Merwe,  who  was  a  very  elo- 
quent speaker,  and  had  conducted  such  funeral 
services  on  many  previous  occasions,  stepped 
forward  to  a  little  table  provided  for  him,  and 
commenced  by  reading  a  suitable  passage  from  the 
Bible.  He  then  gave  out  the  funeral  hymn,  with 
which  every  member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church 
is  familiar. 

Soon  the  solemn,  full  tones  swelled  to  the  im- 
pressive setting.  No  one  who  has  not  heard  it  sung 
at  a  graveside,  in  the  mournful  chant  in  which  it 
is  generally  rendered,  can  form  any  idea  of  the  deep 
effect  it  produces  in  an  audience  already  affected  by 
the  solemnity  of  such  an  occasion.  \Vhen  the  last 
notes  had  died  away,  there  was  hardly  a  dry  eye  in 
the  sympathetic  gathering. 

Old  Oom  Carel  then  began  to  address  the  mourners, 
taking  as  his  text  the  words  :  "  Fear  not,  it  is  I." 
In  a  quiet,  earnest  way  he  spoke  words  of  comfort 
to  the  bereaved,  exhorting  them  to  submit  humbly 
to  the  affliction  that  had  befallen  them,  and  to 


PURSUIT  127 

remember  that  their  dear  ones  formed  another  tie 
to  draw  them  to  their  eternal  home,  where  there 
would  be  no  more  sorrowful  partings. 

When  the  service  was  ended,  the  coffins  were 
taken  up,  and  carried  to  the  grave,  followed  by  a 
long  procession  of  sorrowing  friends  and  relatives, 
and  with  due  solemnity  consigned  to  their  last 
resting-place. 

On  returning  to  the  house  Brandt  sent  word  round 
that  he  wished  to  speak  a  few  words  to  the  men, 
before  they  left  for  their  homes,  and  eager  to  hear 
what  he  had  to  say  they  all  gathered  together  in 
front  of  the  stoep. 

Mounting  his  cart  which  stood  in  front  of  the 
stoep,  he  surveyed  the  upturned  faces  for  a  few 
moments.  There  was  not  a  sign  of  weakness  in  the 
dark  commanding  eyes  that  flashed  a  questioning 
look  on  those  around.  All  felt  that  he  had  some- 
thing of  great  moment  to  lay  before  them,  as,  speak- 
ing in  a  clear  voice  without  a  trace  of  emotion,  he 
began  : 

"  Men  and  brothers  !  I  have  asked  you  to  come 
together,  as  I  wish  to  speak  a  few  words  to  you. 
First,  on  behalf  of  Mrs.  Uijs,  my  wife  and  myself, 
I  tender  you  our  very  sincere  gratitude  for  the 
kindness  you  have  done  us  in  attending  the  funeral 
of  our  beloved  children,  and  for  the  tokens  of 
condolence  and  affection  you  have  shown  us.  It  is 
only  when  sorrow  such  as  this  comes  into  the  home 
that  we  learn  to  appreciate  the  ever-ready  sym- 
pathy and  fellow-feeling  of  such  sincere  friends. 
At  great  inconvenience  you  have  left  your  farms, 
and  gone  out  of  your  way  to  come  to  our  aid. 


128  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Brothers,  I  have  something  more  to  say  to  you. 
From  time  to  time,  during  the  past  few  years,  we 
have  lost  numbers  of  cattle,  horses  and  sheep  ;  so 
many,  that  were  they  added  together  the  total 
would  exceed  the  stock  of  the  richest  farmer. 
Especially  during  the  past  year  have  our  losses 
been  phenomenal,  and  never  a  trace  of  the  lost 
cattle  have  we  been  able  to  find.  We  have  com- 
plained to  the  Government,  but  nothing  has  been 
done  to  protect  us  against  these  depredations. 

"  I  need  not  tell  you  who  the  thieves  are,  for  you 
know  yourselves — the  Bushmen  !  Born  thieves  and 
despoilers,  they  refuse  work  of  any  kind,  and  thrive 
and  batten  on  the  honest  sweat  of  the  toiler. 

"  Had  they  stopped  at  thieving  only  there  might 
have  been  some  hope  of  coping  with  them  in  time, 
by  meting  out  to  them  civil  punishment  ;  but  now  we 
see  to  what  length  they  will  go — murder  !  " 

As  he  pronounced  the  last  word,  he  pointed  to  the 
new-made  grave,  and  paused  a  moment  to  suppress 
the  wave  of  emotion  that  came  over  him.  Then  he 
continued  in  the  same,  clear  firm  voice  : 

"  The  Field-Cornet  was  sent  to  view  the  bodies 
as  is  required  by  law,  but  there  the  matter  will 
end,  for  who  can  find  the  murderers  ?  Who  can 
identify  them  ?  Who  can  bear  testimony  against 
them  ? 

"  If  the  matter  is  left  to  the  slow  and  cumbersome 
machinery  of  the  law,  the  Bushmen  will  remain 
at  large  to  claim  more  stock  and  more  victims. 
W^hich  of  you  can  consider  yourself  safe  from  day 
to  day  ?  Crouching  behind  a  bush,  hiding  in 
an  ant-bear  hole,   or  a  crevice  in  the  rock,   the 


PURSUIT  129 

enemy  shoots  you  down  with  his  poisoned  arrow 
as  you  pass  unsuspectingly. 

"  Dare  any  of  you,  after  what  has  just  taken 
place,  send  your  children  to  tend  your  flocks.  Who, 
then,  is  master  of  your  farm  ? 

"The  answer  is  plain.  He  who  has  the  free 
choice  of  your  cattle  on  the  plains.  He  who  can 
murder  you  with  impunity  without  having  to  answer 
for  it. 

"  Brothers,  I  have  made  up  my  mind.  It  is 
worse  than  useless  to  appeal  to  the  Government. 
Declaring  war  on  a  tribe  that  is  scattered  in  ones 
and  twos  all  over  the  country  is  out  of  the  question, 
and  the  Government  would  not  entertain  the  idea. 
I  am,  therefore,  going  to  be  a  law  unto  myself,  and 
I  ask  you  all  for  your  support.  I  have  a  death  to 
avenge,  and  you  a  death  to  prevent." 

His  eyes  flashed  as  he  put  up  his  right  hand  and 
said  solemnly  and  impressively  : 

"  I  swear  by  the  Almighty  God  that  I  will  follow 
up  and  persecute  every  Bushmen  who  is  not  in  the 
employ  of  a  white  man,  and  will  shoot  him  down 
whenever  and  wherever  I  find  him.  Those  of  you 
who  will  swear  likewise  hold  up  your  right  hands." 

Every  right  hand  without  exception  went  up,  and 
the  effect  of  Brandt's  speech  upon  Bushmen  as  a 
race  is  recorded  in  the  one  word — extinction. 

"It  is  not  the  intention,"  Brandt  proceeded, 
"  that  we  should  have  any  system  of  warfare,  but 
whenever  the  presence  of  Bushmen  is  detected  the 
owner  of  the  farm  is  solemnly  bound  to  hunt  them 
out,  and  any  neighbour  called  upon  for  assistance 
is  held  by  his  oath  to  obey  the  call,  for  it  is  only  by 


130  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

united  action  that  we  can  hope  to  exterminate  the 
pest. 

"Our  Government,  who  are  too  helpless,  or  too 
callous,  to  protect  us  in  this  matter,  will  naturally 
disapprove  of  our  action,  should  they  come  to  hear 
of  it,  and  if  any  of  us  should  be  accused  of  having 
shot  a  Bushman,  white  justice  will  demand  a  trial 
on  a  charge  of  murder, 

"  I  now,  as  the  mouthpiece  of  you  all  who  have 
sworn  with  me,  pronounce  a  doom  over  any  man, 
be  he  black  or  white,  who  shall  at  any  time  give 
information  to  the  authorities  of  any  shooting,  or 
evidence  at  any  such  trial,  whereby  a  conviction 
may  be  secured.  Let  the  Government  rave  and 
do  their  worst.  Our  grandchildren  will  thank  us 
for  clearing  the  country  of  this  skulking  death. 

' '  To-morrow  I  proceed  to  the  spot  where  the  boys 
were  murdered,  and  from  there  I  will  follow  up  the 
spoor  of  the  murderers.  I  cannot  do  this  alone,  I 
call  for  half  a  dozen  volunteers  to  accompany  me," 

Many  came  forward  at  once,  and  Brandt  had  some 
difhculty  in  preventing  all  from  joining  in  the  chase. 
After  selecting  six  young  men,  he  advised  the  rest 
of  the  company  to  return  to  their  homes,  reminding 
them  that  their  duty  was  to  clear  their  own  areas, 
and  assist  their  neighbours.  He  asked  all  present 
to  spread  the  news  of  the  resolution  so  that  it  might 
travel  to  distant  Boer  homesteads,  and  in  every 
way  extend  the  feud  as  far  as  possible. 

As  the  meeting  broke  up  each  man  shook  Brandt 
by  the  hand,  tacitly  acknowledging  him  as  the  leader 
of  the  great  movement.  Sinister  satisfaction  gleamed 
in  every  eye. 


PURSUIT  131 

Brandt  had  allowed  Van  der  Vyver  to  remain 
for  a  few  days  longer  at  Sterkfontein,  ostensibly  to 
assist  on  the  farm,  but  in  reality  to  keep  Xante 
Let  company  and  prevent  her  brooding  upon  her 
sorrow.  Mrs.  Van  der  Vyver  was  a  companionable 
woman,  and  tried  unceasingly  to  hearten  up  the 
stricken  mother. 

Xante  Let,  who  knew  that  Gijs  required  no  help, 
as  he  had  more  than  sufficient  farm  servants,  saw 
Brandt's  motive,  and  felt  grateful  to  her  kindly 
neighbour  for  his  solicitude.  Such  little  thought- 
fulnesses  Hghtened  the  burden  of  the  day,  and  halved 
the  desolation  of  the  night, 

Xhat  night,  over  the  supper  table,  Xante  Let 
asked  Gijs  to  repeat  to  her  what  Brandt  had  said 
to  the  mourners  at  the  funeral.  She  had  been 
indoors  at  the  time,  and  did  not  hear  the  speech. 

She  Hstened  gravely  as  her  son  quoted  the  argu- 
ments advanced  for  the  complete  extinction  of  the 
Bushmen,  and  then,  after  a  few  moments'  silent 
reflection,  said,  with  considerable  feeling :  "I 
admit  the  force  of  much  of  what  he  said,  but  my  heart 
is  not  in  the  matter." 

"  But,  mother,  things  cannot  go  on  as  they  are 
doing.     Not  one  of  us  is  safe  on  his  own  farm." 

"  You  must  not  forget,  Gijs,  that  we  have  ever 
been  the  aggressors.  Xhere  is  hardly  a  farm  upon 
which  you  would  not  find  a  couple  of  young  Bush- 
men, who  were  torn  away  from  their  parents  to  be 
brought  up  as  servants." 

"  The ,  captured  youngsters  are  in  much  better 
circumstances  than  their  parents  ever  dreamt  of, 
and  properly  clothed,  fed  and  civilized." 


132  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  And  properly  whipped  and  slaved,"  chimed  in 
Mrs.  Van  der  Vyver, 

"  Bondage  is  bondage,  my  son,"  replied  Tante 
Let,  "  no  matter  in  what  walk  of  life  it  may  be. 
Freedom  is  the  highest  prized  possession  of  the 
human  being." 

"  I  wonder,"  laughed  Mrs.  Van  der  Vyver,  "  if 
Gijs  were  forcibly  taken  from  here — even  by  our 
Queen — and  compelled  to  work  in  a  palace,  and  be 
dressed  and  civihzed " 

"  That  is  quite  a  different  matter,"  interrupted 
Gijs,  "  you  cannot  compare  our  state  of  feelings  and 
that  of  a  Bushman,  for,  although  we  may  still  be 
very  uncultured,  our  psychic  natures  have  been 
developed  for  ages  past,  whereas  the  Bushman  is 
still  in  the  prehistoric  state,  as  far  as  that  is  con- 
cerned. By  civilising  and  educating  their  children 
for  them,  we  are  bringing  about  the  first  stage  of 
enlightenment,  and,  a  few  generations  hence,  by  a 
natural  process  of  development,  the  crude  and 
useless  material  will  be  converted  into  serviceable 
men  and  women,  able  to  take  their  share  of  res- 
ponsibihty  in  the  great  march  of  progress." 

"  That  sounds  very  pretty,"  said  Tante  Let, 
"  and  yet  you  speak  of  exterminating  them  as  a 
race." 

"  As  a  lawless,  thieving  race,  yes  ;  for  you  will 
admit  that  it  is  impossible  to  do  anything  with  the 
adult  Bushman,  who  has  never  done  a  day's  work 
in  his  hfe,  and  never  will.  He  must  be  done  away 
with,  but  no  one  would  dream  of  killing  the  children. 
These  will  be  parcelled  out  to  farmers,  and  taught 
to   work,   and   obey   the   laws.     There   are   many 


PURSUIT  133 

people  who  do  not  consider  the  Bushman  a  human 
being  at  all.  He  is  looked  upon  by  many  as  an 
animal,  very  little  above  a  gorilla  in  cunning." 

"  Oh,  that  is  rubbish,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Van  der 
Vyver,  "  the  Bushman  has  fairly  established  his 
claim  to  be  classed  as  a  human  being." 

"  In  what  way  ?  "  asked  Gijs,  amused.  "  I  was 
just  going  to  add  that  an  apology  was  due  to  the 
gorilla  for  the  comparison." 

"  There  are  three  infallible  tests  which  distinguish 
a  human  being,  however  low  he  may  be  in  the  scale 
of  life,  from  an  animal.  Man  makes  use  of  a  weapon 
in  killing,  while  an  animal  avails  itself  only  of  teeth 
and  claws,  or  such  other  means  of  offence,  as  nature 
has  endowed  it  with.  Man  kindles  a  fire  to  warm 
himself  against  extreme  cold,  which  is  beyond  the 
attainment  of  an  animal ;  and  lastly,  a  dog  will 
attach  itself  to,  and  obey  a  human  being,  but  never 
another  animal.  All  these  characteristics  are  found 
in  the  Bushman,  and  therefore  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  he  is  human." 

"  Of  course,  you  must  not  think,"  replied  Gijs, 
"  that  I  deny  the  Bushman  his  position  in  the  gamut 
of  evolution,  though  I  see  but  one  way  out  of  the 
difficulty.  He  is  born  to  idleness  ;  he  never  on 
any  account  tills  the  soil ;  never  tries  to  rear  or 
tend  stock  of  any  description,  so  as  to  make  provi- 
sion against  times  of  scarcity,  and  consequently  he 
freely  helps  himself  to  the  fruits  of  our  labour,  and, 
if  we  inconveniently  protest,  he  lets  fly  a  poisoned 
arrow  to  remove  us  from  his  path." 

Tante  Let  sighed.  "  If  the  white  people  did  not 
forcibly  deprive  the  Bushmen  of  their  children,   I 


134  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

doubt  if  any  murders  would  ever  have  been  com- 
mitted. The  vilest  animal  loves  its  young,  and 
will  protect  them  with  its  life.  What,  then,  can  be 
expected  from  human  beings  whose  parental  instincts 
are  violated  by  superior  force  ?  It  is  as  natural  for 
them  to  retaliate  as  it  would  be  for  us." 

"  I  know,  mother,  that  you  are  referring  to  the 
two  babies  I  brought  home  some  time  ago,  and  I 
feel  that  I  am  the  cause  of  what  has  befallen 
us." 

"  Don't  let  that  trouble  you,  Gijs,"  said  Tante 
Let,  "  for,  as  you  know,  this  is  not  the  first  time 
that  white  people  have  been  murdered  by  Bushmen. 
The  boys  very  likely  interfered  with  them  and  they 
in  turn  waylaid  and  killed  them." 

"  I  am  quite  convinced,"  said  Van  der  Vjrvrer, 
"  that  it  must  have  been  a  sudden  attack,  and  they 
must  have  been  overpowered  before  they  could 
defend  themselves,  as  otherwise  Piet  and  Japie 
would  have  given  a  good  account  of  themselves. 
I  have  searched  in  the  vicinity  to  see  if  I  could 
see  any  trace  of  Bushmen,  shot  or  wounded,  but 
could  find  nothing  to  satisfy  myself.  A  significant 
fact  was  that  most  of  the  arrows  pierced  the  boys 
from  the  back  and  sides,  showing  that  they  were 
taken  unawares." 

"  Have  you  found  any  spoor  ?  "  asked  Gijs. 

"  Quite  a  dozen,  but  I  had  no  time  to  follow 
them  up;  besides,  I  was  unarmed,  and,  as  they 
carried  away  the  guns  the  boys  had,  there  was  not 
even  a  gun  on  the  farm." 

"  It  was  very  risky  of  you  and  Jantje  both  to 
leave  the  farm  in  the  middle  of  the  night,"  said 


PURSUIT  135 

Xante  Let,  "  what  if  they  had  returned  and  murdered 
your  wife  ?  " 

"  There  was  no  time  to  lose  ;  besides,  I  knew  they 
would  clear  off  at  once,  expecting  to  be  followed, 
as  soon  as  the  deed  was  discovered,"  replied  Van  der 
Yyver. 

Brandt,  having  set  the  ball  rolling  against  the 
Bushmen,  seemed  determined  to  carry  out  his  threat 
to  the  bitter  end.  Shortly  after  sunrise  the  next 
morning  he  arrived  at  Sterkfontein  with  his  followers. 
Tante  Let,  who  expected  them,  had  prepared  an 
early  breakfast  and  was  ready  to  receive  them.  It 
was  agreed  that  Gijs  and  Jantje  should  accompany 
them,  for  although  Tante  Let  demurred  at  Gijs 
joining  such  an  expedition,  she  knew  that  no  per- 
suasion would  make  him  stay  behind,  especially 
as  Wijnand  formed  one  of  the  party. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  ?  "  asked  Brandt  of 
Tante  Let,  as  soon  as  they  were  seated  at  table. 
"  On  my  arrival  at  home  yesterday,  I  received 
reports  that  during  the  time  we  were  at  Nachtmaal 
no  less  than  sixty  head  of  cattle  disappeared  from 
the  neighbourhood.  I  immediately  sent  my  boys 
to  round  up  all  mine,  and  found  that  eight  of  my 
best  oxen  had  gone.     Have  you  missed  any  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  say,"  replied  Tante  Let.  "  Of  course, 
one  would  not  think  of  counting  cattle  at  a  time 
like  this." 

*'  During  your  absence  I  had  no  time  to  bring  the 
cattle  home,"  interrupted  Van  der  Vyver,  "  but  I 
shall  do  so  to-morrow,  unless  there  is  other  work 
for  me." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will  iind  a  number 


136  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

missing  ;  and  that  accounts  for  the  murder  of  the 
boys.  They  were  evidently  in  the  way  of  the  thieves 
and  had  to  be  killed,  for  on  none  of  the  other  farms 
was  any  attempt  made  to  take  the  lives  of  the 
people." 

"  If  I  had  only  caught  a  whisper  of  this,  I  would 
have  rounded  up  at  once,  and  kept  an  eye  on  the 
cattle,"  said  Van  der  Vyver. 

"It  only  proves  that  I  was  right  in  what  I  said 
yesterday,"  continued  Brandt.  "  I  am  not  going  to 
work  for  a  den  of  thieves,  but,  if  I  mistake  not, 
there  will  be  very  little  thieving  in  this  district 
after  to-day." 

Tante  Let  fully  intended  speaking  seriously  to 
Brandt  as  to  the  wisdom  of  promiscuously  killing 
all  Bushmen,  but  on  hearing  this  intelligence,  and 
seeing  determination  of  purpose  in  his  eyes,  she 
realized  that  it  would  be  useless  to  speak  to  him 
and  accordingly  held  her  peace. 

"  I  see  you  have  a  native  with  two  spare  horses," 
remarked  Gijs  to  Brandt. 

"  Yes  ;  I  know  your  horses  are  tired,  and  I  have 
brought  them  for  you  and  Jantje.  I  have  also 
brought  a  gun,  so  that  you  can  leave  yours  with 
Van  der  V37ver,  in  case  it  may  be  required  on  the 
farm  during  your  absence." 

"  How  long  do  you  think  of  being  away  ?  "  asked 
Tante  Let. 

"  That  depends  upon  when  and  where  we  recover 
our  lost  cattle,  for  it  would  be  no  good  abandoning 
the  pursuit  half  way,  and  you  may  be  quite  sure 
that  the  thieves  will  be  pretty  far  away  by  this  time. 
As  long  as  I  can  trace  them  by  spoor  or  information, 


PURSUIT  137 

I  shall  push  on,  even  if  it  takes  two  or  three 
weeks." 

"  What  about  provisions  for  the  road  ?  " 

"  We  have  a  good  supply  in  our  saddlebags,  and 
if  we  run  short,  we  shall  have  to  rely  upon  game 
and  the  assistance  of  other  Boers." 

Breakfast  was  soon  over,  and  the  party  started 
off.  Van  der  Vyver  went  with  them  as  far  as  the 
spot  where  the  murder  had  been  committed,  in  order 
to  point  out  the  spoor  he  had  seen.  Here  the  whole 
party  dismounted  and  made  minute  search  for  signs 
that  might  give  them  a  clue.  Jantje  went  back  on 
the  spoor  of  the  boys  for  some  distance,  and  declared 
that  these  indicated  that  the  boys  were  walking 
leisurely  right  up  to  the  fatal  spot. 

He  very  soon  discovered  the  place  where  the 
Bushmen  had  lain  in  ambush.  There  were  spoor 
of  about  seven  or  eight,  criss-crossing  in  every 
direction,  but  nothing  to  indicate  that  any  of  the 
men  had  been  wounded  by  the  boys. 

Brandt's  theory  that  the  boys  were  overpowered 
by  the  sudden  and  unexpected  attack  and  unable 
to  put  up  any  defence,  would  seem  to  be  confirmed. 

As  the  footsteps  were  still  clear  Jantje  was  ordered 
to  take  the  lead,  for  not  only  could  he  extract 
poisoned  arrowheads  and  cure  by  his  mysterious 
antidotes  the  wound  made,  but  his  skill  as  a 
tracker  of  man  or  beast  was  unrivalled  in  the 
district. 

Boers  are  remarkable  for  their  cleverness  in 
reading  the  great  book  of  nature,  and  their  wisdom 
in  veld  lore  is  great.  Each  spoor  or  mark  reveals 
a  story,  each  displaced  stone  or  piece  of  grass  a 


138  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

tale.  And  even  in  the  midst  of  such  masters  the 
Hottentot  shone  out. 

In  tracking  he  seemed  to  be  guided  by  a  sort  of 
sixth  sense,  so  superhuman  was  his  keenness  of 
vision,  and  where  no  other  could  discover  the 
slightest  indication  of  a  trail  he  would  outhne  and 
follow  up  the  spoor  unhesitatingly, 

Very  often,  when  out  after  lost  cattle,  Gijs  would 
stop  the  quietly  excited  Jantje  as  they  crossed  a 
difficult  stretch  of  country  strewn  with  stones, 
and  get  him  to  point  out  the  marks  by  which  he 
was  enabled  to  make  his  deductions. 

This  Jantje  took  a  delight  in  doing,  to  the  in- 
struction of  his  master,  who  was  fain  to  marvel 
at  his  servant's  exceptional  powers  of  observation. 

The  slightest  displacement  of  a  stone,  or  a  broken 
twig,  a  tuft  of  grass  disturbed  from  its  natural 
position,  or  some  leaves  or  berries  shaken  from  a 
bush,  spoke  volumes  to  one  who  knew  his  wild  as 
did  the  Hottentot. 

However  slight  and  varied  the  indications,  and 
however  far  apart,  Jantje  never  lost  the  trail  for 
a  moment. 

He  took  considerable  pride,  too,  in  giving  his 
master  gratuitous  lessons  in  tracking,  and  illus- 
trating his  remarks  with  practical  demonstrations 
as  he  went  along. 

"  It  is  a  great  mistake,  Baas,  to  walk  with  your 
eyes  to  the  ground  continuously,  for  sometimes 
the  ground  is  silent  and  there  are  other  tongues 
which  speak — it  depends  so  much  upon  the  animal 
you  are  after.  Each  differs  from  the  other  in 
characteristics  and  habits.     A  goat  is  much  more 


PURSUIT  139 

difficult  to  follow  up  than  a  sheep,  just  as  a  horse 
is  easier  to  locate  than  an  ox,  and  a  man  trying  to 
escape  is  simpler  far  to  track  out  than  one  wander- 
ing aimlessly  about  the  veld.  You  see,  it  is  a 
natural  habit  of  man  and  cattle  to  pass  down  the 
little  ready-made  paths  twisting  among  the  bushes 
and  the  grass.  The  fugitive,  however,  makes  the 
mistake  of  avoiding  all  beaten  down  tracks  and 
chooses  instead  such  parts  as  he  thinks  would  leave 
no  tell-tale  footprints  behind.  Consequently,  what- 
ever imprints  he  does  make  remain  for  a  considerable 
period.  Had  he  stuck  to  the  frequented  way,  the 
chances  are,  of  course,  that  his  tracks  would  have 
merged  and  confused  themselves  with  others." 

Natives,  when  tracking,  always  look  ahead  to 
try  and  discover  the  destination  the  hunted  might 
have  had  in  view,  as  they  closely  observe  each 
patch  of  ground,  and  weigh  up  carefully  those 
that  are  much  stone-strewn.  The  simplest  Hot- 
tentot makes  mental  strategical  notes  of  direction, 
knowing  that  a  stray,  wandering  beast  would  never 
cross  a  bare  stretch  of  country  in  preference  to  the 
grassy  veld  which  provides  good  grazing,  and  that 
a  hunted  runaway  makes  a  straight  line  for  cover 
through  any  sort  of  impediment. 

Jantje  took  on  the  guidance  of  the  party  as  he 
was  ordered,  and  as  the  soft  ground  held  the  spoor 
like  a  mould,  he  was  able  to  go  forward  at  a  fair 
pace.  After  proceeding  about  a  mile  the  tracker 
pointed  out  that  the  fugitives  had  come  up  with 
another  strong  party  and  that  they  were  driving  a 
number  of  cattle. 

No  time  was  lost,  except  for  occasional  halts  at 


140  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

places  which  indicated  that  more  cattle  and  Bush- 
men had  joined  the  main  body.  These  tributary 
streams  were  carefully  examined  in  order  that  it 
might  be  ascertained  from  whence  the  animals 
came. 

A  surprising  feature  of  the  wholesale  theft  was 
that  the  Bushmen  had  massed  all  the  cattle  into 
one  vast  herd,  which  naturally  left  a  heavy  and 
unmistakable  trail.  It  argued  a  preconcerted  plan 
of  action — an  intention  of  showing  fight  should 
they  be  overtaken. 

Towards  noon  a  halt  was  called.  The  horses 
were  watered  and  a  hasty  meal  snatched.  The 
unusual  behaviour  of  the  looters  supplied  food  for 
reflection,  and  each  Boer  hazarded  an  opinion  and 
arrived  at  no  conclusion. 

So  far  the  track  carefully  avoided  all  homesteads, 
and  held  steadily  in  a  northerly  direction.  Evi- 
dently the  Bushmen  had  the  intention  of  crossing 
the  border  of  the  Colony. 

"  We  shall  have  to  push  on  as  fast  as  possible," 
said  Gijs,  "for  they  have  a  two  days'  start  of  us. 
Once  they  cross  the  Orange  River  they  are  safe, 
and  we  may  as  well  abandon  the  chase." 

"  Abandon  the  chase  !  "  cried  Brandt.  "  Not 
if  I  have  to  penetrate  the  heart  of  the  Kalarhari 
Desert  to  find  them  !  And  if  you  all  leave  me  I 
shall  return  home  and  make  up  a  special  volunteer 
commando  to  come  with  me." 

"  But,  Oom  Jan,  the  difficulty  is  that  we  dare 
not  form  ourselves  into  a  commando  under  arms," 
answered  Gijs.  "  The  Government  would  have 
something  to  say  to  us." 


PURSUIT  141 

Brandt  had  finished  his  meal  and  was  filUng  his 
pipe.  He  Hghted  it  carefully,  and  puffed  out 
large  rings  of  smoke  meditatively. 

"  When  you  grow  older,  Gijs,"  he  said,  after  a 
while,  "  you  will  understand  more  about  the  ways 
of  the  Government.  Believe  me,  you  have  nothing 
to  fear  from  that  quarter,  as  long  as  the  game  you 
are  playing  is  to  their  benefit  as  well  as  yours. 
Only  be  careful  that  you  do  not  stand  alone  in  any 
project,  for  then  you  will  be  branded  as  a  law- 
breaker. But  if  there  is  unity  and  strength,  as 
well  as  purpose,  on  your  side,  then  the  Government 
will  wink  at  it.  True,  some  high  official  will  be 
sent  up,  and  a  great  fuss  made,  but  after  due 
enquiry  and  endless  correspondence  the  matter 
will  be  allowed  to  drop,  and  history  will  hand  your 
name  down  to  posterity  as  one  of  the  benefactors 
of  your  country. 

"  Look  at  the  Karroo  as  it  is  now.  Nothing 
but  a  vast  barren  desert,  subject  to  periodical 
droughts  that  sweep  away  stock  by  the  thousand  ; 
infested  from  one  end  to  the  other  by  bands  of 
roving,  lawless,  thieving  Bushmen,  who  look  upon 
the  white  man  as  an  intruder  in  his  country,  and 
therefore  his  lawful  prey. 

"  Of  what  value  is  the  Karroo,  as  habitable 
land,  under  present  circumstances  ?  Who  has  to 
make  it  habitable  ?  If  we  carry  out  our  plan  of 
exterminating  the  Bushmen  we  shall  have  done  a 
great  deal  towards  turning  this  country  into  a 
valuable  asset  for  the  Colony,  for  then,  at  least, 
one  can  live  in  security  of  life  and  limb  ;  and  ground 
that  the  Government  is  now  wiUing  to  give  away 


142  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

at  a  paltry  quit-rent  will  at  once  acquire  greater 
value,  and  what  is  now  a  wilderness  will  in  time 
become  a  thriving  and  populous  part  of  the  Colony. 

"  No,  Gijs,  the  Government  will  never  go  against 
their  own  interest,  and  you  and  I  need  not  fear 
hanging  for  relieving  them  of  the  unpleasant  duty 
of  clearing  the  country  from  thieves,  even  if  our 
methods  are  not  commended  by  them." 

"  I  have  not  looked  into  the  matter  in  that  light, 
Oom  Jan,  but  what  you  say  sounds  true  enough," 
said  Gijs.  "  At  any  rate,  we  have  set  our  hands 
to  the  plough  and  cannot  look  back." 

Soon  the  party  were  on  their  way  again,  following 
the  lead  of  Jantje,  and  during  the  course  of  the 
afternoon  more  spoor  was  found  joining  the  main 
body,  so  that  the  herd  must  have  numbered  at 
least  fifty  head. 

Towards  sunset  the  trail  led  the  party  to  a  large 
pool  of  water  between  two  hills,  where  grass  was 
plentiful.  Here  the  cattle  had  been  allowed  to 
drink  and  graze,  for  the  tracks  spread  out  in  all 
directions  ;  and  here  also  a  surprise  awaited  the 
pursuers,  for  it  was  discovered  that  the  cattle  had 
been  divided  into  small  lots  and  driven  in  various 
directions — the  Bushmen  had  divided  the  spoil 
amongst  themselves  and  each  had  made  off  with 
his  booty. 

As  it  was  getting  late  and  the  spoor  could  not 
be  followed  far  before  darkness  fell,  Brandt  decided 
to  camp  by  the  pool,  and  discuss  the  new  develop- 
ment. 


CHAPTER    X 

BARGAINING 

WHEN  Andries  Witte  left  Tante  Let's  pre- 
sence at  Victoria  West  he  was  in  no 
amiable  mood.  He  felt  that  for  some 
time  past  everybody  had  been  giving 
him  a  wide  berth,  and  although  he  was  quite  able 
to  divine  the  cause  of  it,  he  nevertheless  fumed 
inwardly.  He  had  a  very  high  opinion  of  himself, 
and,  like  all  utterly  selfish  natures,  expected  every 
one  to  pamper  him,  or  at  least  to  treat  him  with 
such  respect  as  he  considered  his  due. 

Tante  Let  had  practically  shown  him  the  door, 
and  for  such  an  act  of  discourtesy  he  vowed  to  find 
appropriate  punishment. 

Reviewing  the  behaviour  of  all  his  former  friends, 
he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  hand  of  each 
one  was  against  him,  and  that  he  was  the  Ishmael 
of  the  whole  community.  When  visiting  town  he 
invariably  occupied  a  little  room  in  Tukie's  yard, 
that  by  agreement  was  always  kept  for  ready  him. 

After  leaving  Tante  Let,  he  went  straight  to  this 
room,  and  threw  himself  into  an  armchair.  He 
lay  looking  at  the  ceiUng  for  fully  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  with  an  ugly  expression  on  his  face,  and  com- 
pletely lost  in  thought.  Then,  suddenly,  he  sat 
upright,  and  began  talking  to  himself : 

143 


144  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Very  well !  If  everybody  is  turning  against 
me,  let  it  be  so.  In  future  there  will  be  only  one 
person  whom  I  will  consider,  and  that  is  myself. 
I  wonder  what  I  have  done  to  deserve  such  treat- 
ment, for  nothing  was  ever  brought  home  to  me. 
I  have  been  more  successful  than  others  in  specula- 
tion, and  in  business  matters  each  has  to  look  after 
his  own  interests.  If  people  are  fools  enough  to 
lose  their  money,  I  fail  to  see  how  any  blame  can 
attach  to  me. 

"  And  to  be  shown  the  door  by  an  old  cat  like 
Tante  Let  !  Very  well,  very  well,  indeed,  Mrs. 
Uijs  !  You  will  receive  special  attention.  I  did 
not  want  your  miserable  farm  as  a  gift,  and  meant 
to  do  you  nothing  but  good.  However,  you  have 
completed  my  education,  and  it  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  I  can  or  cannot  do  without  your  courtesy. 
I  shall  turn  my  back  upon  you  all,  and  take  pride 
in  acting  my  assumed  character  of  Ishmael  to  the 
very  letter." 

He  glanced  at  his  watch.  "  In  an  hour's  time," 
he  said,  "  he  ought  to  be  here,  and  then  we  can 
proceed  to  business.  My  new  scheme  is  ready,  and 
I  am  anxious  to  carry  it  out." 

It  is  the  hallmark  of  selfish,  egotistical  minds 
that  if  a  few  deny  them  the  homage  they  claim,  the 
\\'hole  world  seems  antagonistic  to  them,  whereas  the 
flatteries  of  a  few  insincere  acquaintances  will  raise 
them  to  their  self-erected  pedestal  of  vainglory. 

Witte  was  one  of  those  characters  whose  whole 
consciousness  of  existence  consisted  in  pampering 
every  wish.  Imbued  with  the  conviction  that  the 
world  was,  or  should  be,  at  his  feet,  he  spared  nc 


BARGAINING  145 

pains  in  claiming  his  position  by  lording  over  all 
and  sundry  who  were  endowed  with  sufficient  sense 
to  recognise  his  superiority  and  to  submit  to  his 
sovereignty. 

Possessed  with  an  insatiate  desire  for  wealth,  his 
one  great  object  in  life  was  to  amass  enough  money 
to  satisfy  his  cravings,  and  to  arrive  at  this  goal  he 
synonymised  the  word  "  thine "  with  "  mine," 
exculpating  himself  on  the  Jesuitical  principle  that 
the  end  justified  the  means. 

A  knock  at  his  door  called  him  from  his  medita- 
tions, and  a  moment  later  he  was  closeted  with  the 
new-comer. 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  punctual,  for  I  have  not  got 
much  time  to  lose,"  said  Witte  with  a  lofty  air,  as 
though  to  impress  the  other  with  his  indifference 
to  the  business  on  hand. 

"  No  time  need  be  lost,  Andries,  but  as  I  came 
here  at  your  bidding,  perhaps  you  will  explain 
matters,"  was  the  reply. 

"  At  my  bidding  ?  Didn't  you  write  me 
first  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  but  perhaps  you  forget  that  you 
wrote  back,  saying  an  interview  was  preferable  to 
correspondence." 

Both  tried  to  appear  indifferent,  in  order  to  drive 
as  keen  a  bargain  as  possible,  but  each  knew  the 
other  well,  and  words  were  not  wasted. 

"  Well,  then,  let  us  proceed  to  business,"  said 
Witte.     "  What  do  you  require  ?  " 

"  I  will  take  as  many  head  of  cattle  as  you  can  sell 
me  at  my  price,"  was  the  rejoinder. 

"  What  is  your  price  ?  " 


146  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Twenty  ryksdaalders,  to  take  them  as  they 
come,  great  and  small,  exclusive  of  calves." 

"  Ridiculous  !  No  man  can  sell  a  beast  for  that," 
snorted  Witte  with  contempt. 

"  Andries  Witte  can."  These  words  were  accom- 
panied by  a  look  so  significant,  that  Witte  inwardly 
winced,  for  they  amounted  to  a  direct  command, 

"  I  am  always  open  to  business,"  he  rephed,  "  but 
there  is  a  limit  beyond  which  a  demand  may  become 
unreasonable,  and  to  expect  any  man  to  supply  cattle 
at  twenty  ryksdaalders  is  driving  the  bargain  too 
hard." 

From  his  tone  it  was  clear  that  he  was  addressing 
one  who  had  some  power  over  him,  and  whom  he 
dared  not  oppose  to  any  degree,  as  otherwise  he 
would  have  spurned  the  idea  of  selling  cattle  at  the 
ridiculous  figure  mentioned.^ 

"  I  am  not  even  trying  to  drive  a  bargain,"  the 

other  replied.     "  I  have  to  take  all  the  risk,  while 

you  remain  the  innocent  partner,  no  matter  what 

may  happen.     That  at  least  is  our  agreement,  to 

which  I  am  quite  willing  to  stick,  but  it  will  not  be 

quite  in  accordance  with  the  truth  if  I  were  to  say 

that  I  do  so  out  of  pure  love  for  you.     No,  Andries, 

we  either  drop  the  business  at  once,  or  else  it  must 

be  made  worth  my  while.     We  have  pulled  off  many 

a  httle  scheme  between  us,  to  our  mutual  benefit, 

but  never  anything  quite  so  hazardous  as  what  you 

have  proposed,  and  as  the  greater  danger  will  fall 

>  The  old  Dutch  ryksdaalder  was  equal  to  eighteenpence 
in  English  money,  and  was  for  many  years  the  standard 
of  reckoning ;  so  much  so  that  the  term  "  dollar "  has 
survived  in  the  Colony  to  this  day  to  designate  the  sum  of 
eighteenpence. 


BARGAINING  147 

to  my  share,  I  must  have  the  greater  share  in  the 
profit." 

"  I  cannot  admit  that  my  risk  is  less  than  yours," 
persisted  Witte.  "  If  anything  is  traced  to  me  I  shall 
be  lost." 

"  And  what  in  my  case  ?  Let  me  remind  you  of 
the  condition  you  made,  that  when  once  the  cattle 
are  handed  over  to  me,  all  trace  of  you  must  vanish 
from  the  transaction  as  completely  as  though  you 
never  existed.  Well,  if  anything  is  ever  traced  to 
me,  I  must  be  ready  with  papers  and  witnesses  to 
establish  my  innocence,  and  all  that  means  money. 
But,  I  again  repeat, — let  the  matter  drop  !  " 

"  I  never  drop  a  scheme  when  once  I  have  made 
up  my  mind  to  it,  as  you  know,  and,  as  I  have  a 
special  motive  in  seeing  this  through,  I  accept  your 
price, — though  it  is  a  mere  pittance." 

"  How  many  can  you  dehver  ?  " 

"  A  hundred." 

"  When  ?  " 

"  On  Sunday." 

"  Where  ?  " 

"  At  the  place  agreed  upon." 

"  No,  I  will  only  accept  delivery  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Orange  River,  and,  as  agreed,  the  money  will 
be  handed  over  as  soon  as  I  have  counted  the  cattle. 
The  river  is  low  now  and  can  easily  be  forded." 

"It  is  well,"  rephed  Witte  after  a  moment's 
thinking.  "  You  know  to  whom  to  hand  the 
money." 

"  I  do,"  rephed  the  other,  rising,  "  And  as  there 
is  nothing  more  to  be  said,  it  is  best  that  we  part, 
and  not  be  seen  together.     Good-bye." 


148  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Good-bye." 

As  he  came,  he  left.  Witte  never  once  mentioned 
him  by  name.  Plainly  he  was  a  confederate  of  long 
standing,  and  held  many  of  Witte' s  secrets  in  his 
keeping,  and  thus  had  power  to  dictate  terms. 

He  was  a  plain,  shabbily-dressed  man  of  medium 
height,  grey  eyes,  high  bridged  nose,  with  a  dark, 
short-cropped  beard.  His  large  sensual  mouth  and 
firm  chin  at  once  marked  him  as  a  man  who  would 
not  brook  trifles,  while  his  keen,  penetrating,  grey 
eyes  spoke  of  a  power  that  subdued  minds,  less  posi- 
tive, to  his  will.  His  was  the  personality  of  a  man 
it  were  better  to  call  friend  than  foe — one  who  would 
scorn  personal  inconvenience  and  endure  hardships 
to  attain  an  end,  and  from  whom  none  need  expect 
mercy  or  consideration,  where  it  did  not  suit  some 
purpose  in  giving. 

As  soon  as  he  had  gone,  Witte  rose  and  went  into 
Tukie's  store  to  complete  his  purchases.  These  con- 
sisted of  a  large  quantity  of  tobacco,  cheap  pipes, 
flints  and  clasp  knives.  After  he  had  paid  for  these 
he  called  Tukie  aside  and  whispered  something  into 
his  ear. 

"  Rather  !  What  you  think  ?  As  much  as  you 
want,  Mr.  Witte,"  replied  Tukie.  "  Shall  I  put  it 
into  a  demijohn  or  a  small  barrel  ?  " 

"  Something  that  will  not  break,"  was  the  curt 
re  joiner. 

Tukie  disappeared  from  the  scene  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, but  soon  returned  again  to  tempt  the  cus- 
tomer into  making  further  purchases. 

"  You  will  find  it  on  your  cart,  Mr,  Witte,  all 
safe  and  sound,  wrapped  up  in  a  bag.     No  one  will 


BARGAINING  149 

know  what  it  is.  What  you  think  ?  "  and  he  winked 
knowingly  as  he  rubbed  his  hands. 

"  What  more  can  I  sell  you  ?  Look  around,  Mr. 
Witte,  look  round.  Always  something  that  you 
may  have  forgotten  in  the  hurry.  What  you  think  ?  " 

"  I  only  want  my  account  now,  Tukie,  and  to 
get  away." 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  he  was  on  his  way  to  his 
farm,  driving  his  horses  at  full  speed,  as  though  he 
had  some  urgent  business  on  hand  that  required 
immediate  attention,  and  in  less  than  two  hours  he 
reached  home. 

Rietkuil  was  a  beautiful  farm.  The  homestead 
was  well  planted  with  trees,  prominent  amongst 
which  a  number  of  blue-gums  towered  well  above 
the  others.  Of  fruit  trees  there  was  a  good  variety, 
but,  as  is  usual  in  high  altitudes,  the  late  frost  nipped 
all  fruit  in  the  bud,  and  only  in  exceptional  seasons 
did  a  good  crop  come  to  perfection  ;  but  when  that 
lucky  event  did  take  place,  the  Karroo  fruit  was 
unrivalled  in  the  whole  Colony  for  delicacy  of  flavour 
and  quality. 

The  dwelling-house  stood  on  a  little  elevation 
overlooking  the  garden,  and  was  built  in  the  old 
Dutch  style — massive  walls,  whitewashed  ;  small 
windows  and  the  inevitable  double  door,  divided 
horizontally. 

The  principal  charm  of  Rietkuil  was  its  magnifi- 
cent water  supply,  which  consisted  of  a  strong  foun- 
tain bubbling  out  of  a  kloof  in  a  mountain,  about 
half  a  mile  beyond  the  homestead.  The  stream, 
being  too  much  for  the  requirements  of  the  farm, 
was  allowed  to  flow  down  past  the  homestead  into 


150  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

the  valleys  below,  where  it  formed  deep  pools  cov- 
ered with  reeds  and  rushes  that  formed  a  striking 
contrast  to  the  barrenness  of  the  surrounding  veld 
and  kopjies. 

Witte,  however,  had  no  penchant  for  manual 
labour,  and  would  not  expend  what  was  necessary 
to  cultivate  the  farm  to  its  full  extent. 

The  process  of  becoming  rich  by  annual  harvests 
was  far  too  slow,  and  demanded  too  much  trouble 
and  outlay.  He  therefore  got  a  family  of  poor 
whites  to  live  with  him,  in  a  spare  building  some 
distance  removed  from  the  homestead,  to  work  and 
cultivate  the  lands  and  gardens  on  half  profits. 
This  family  he  provided  with  meat  and  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  and  managed  in  such  a  way  that,  when 
the  grain  was  garnered,  the  family  was  so  deeply  in 
debt  for  supplies  that  he  claimed  the  whole  harvest 
in  order  to  square  off  accounts. 

As  soon  as  he  reached  the  homestead,  two  young 
native  boys  were  ready  to  take  charge  of  the  cart 
and  horses  and  relieve  their  master. 

"  Jan,"  said  Witte,  addressing  one  of  them, 
"  when  you  have  outspanned  the  horses,  go  and  tell 
Oukop  I  want  to  see  him.     He  must  come  at  once." 

Oukop  was  a  Hottentot,  of  the  same  age  as 
Witte.  They  had  grown  up  together  from  childhood. 
Wherever  Witte  went  he  took  Oukop  with  him,  and 
the  latter  had  such  a  deep-rooted  love  for  his  master 
that  nothing  could  induce  him  ever  to  leave  his 
service. 

Those  who  knew  of  the  close  understanding  be- 
tween the  two  generally  referred  to  Oukop  as  Witte' s 
first  lieutenant,  and,  indeed,  Witte  never  entered 


BARGAINING  151 

into  any  scheme  but  what  Oukop  played  some  part 
in  it,  for  to  his  master  he  was  the  embodiment  of 
honour  and  faithfulness,  and  in  return  he  had  more 
influence  over  Witte  than  any  other  person  living. 

When  Oukop  came  to  the  house,  Witte  beckoned 
him  into  his  private  room,  known  as  the  ofhce,  where 
he  could  speak  without  being  overheard  or  dis- 
turbed. 

After  closing  the  door  carefully,  he  seated  himself 
at  a  table  with  some  writing  material  upon  it,  while 
Oukop  squatted  on  the  floor  at  the  side  of  the  table. 

"  How  many  men  have  you  in  readiness  ?  " 
Witte  asked. 

"  Fifteen,  Baas  ;   but  I  can  get  more  if  required." 

"  That  I  leave  entirely  to  you,  for  I  have  quite 
altered  my  plans." 

He  fumbled  about  with  the  papers  on  the  table, 
and  pretended  to  make  some  notes.  In  reahty  he 
was  debating  with  himself  whether  to  tell  Oukop 
the  whole  truth,  or  only  part  of  it.  After  a  while  he 
turned  round  in  his  chair  and  said  : — 

"  Listen  carefully  to  what  I  am  going  to  say,  for 
I  depend  upon  you  to  see  the  matter  through,  and 
there  must  be  no  hitch  in  the  arrangements.  I  have 
long  since  felt,  but  I  ajn  quite  convinced  now,  that 
everybody  has  turned  against  me,  for  some  reason 
I  cannot  understand  ;  and  some  have  gone  so  far 
as  to  snub  and  insult  me." 

"  Insult  you,  Baas  ?     What  for  ?  " 

"  Without  any  cause  or  reason  at  all,  as  far  as  I 
can  see/'  Witte  frowned,  and  showed  his  annoy- 
ance, but  Oukop  openly  smiled  in  his  master's 
face. 


152  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  What  are  you  laughing  at,  you  fool  ?  "  Witte 
asked  in  surprise. 

"  I  can't  help  thinking  how  sorry  they  will  soon 
be,  for  no  one  has  ever  insulted  you  and  escaped 
punishment !  I  am  ready  to  listen  to  your  plans, 
Baas." 

"  To  begin  with,  I  have  sold  a  hundred  head  of 
cattle." 

It  was  Oukop's  turn  to  be  surprised,  and  he 
whistled  softly.  "  It  will  take  some  time  and  trouble 
to  buy  them  up,  as  prices  are  high  now." 

"  I  have  already  bought  and  paid  good  prices  for 
cattle,  but  this  time  I  want  them  at  my  own  figure." 

"  Where  are  they  to  be  had,  Baas,  for  less  than 
the  usual  price  ?  " 

"  The  white  people,  I  know,  won't  sell  below  cer- 
tain prices,  but  I  have  an  idea  that  cattle  can  be 
got  from  Bushmen  at  very  low  prices." 

Oukop  started,  as  his  master's  meaning  flashed 
across  his  mind. 

"  Yes,  I  see,  this  is  part  of  the  punishment  you 
have  thought  out,  but  let  me  warn  you.  Baas,  it  is 
very  dangerous." 

"  Where  is  the  danger  ?  I  buy  the  cattle  that 
are  offered  me  by  Bushmen,  and  I  ask  no  further 
questions.  Besides  yourself,  who  is  ever  to  know 
that  I  am  connected  with  the  transaction  ?  " 

Oukop  understood  perfectly,  and  remained  quiet 
for  a  time,  seriously  pondering  the  proposal. 

"  Had  it  not  been  that  you  have  planned  this  as 
a  punishment,  I  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it ; 
but  to  please  you,  I  will  see  what  can  be  done,"  he 
said  at  length. 


BARGATNTNG  153 

"  On  Sunday  night  the  cattle  must  be  dehvered 
across  the  Orange  River,  at  the  spot  where  we 
usually  ford  it." 

"  To  whom  ?  " 

"  To  you.  Don't  accept  delivery  of  a  hoof  until 
they  are  over  the  river,  then  you  hand  them  to  the 
same  man  to  whom  you  delivered  the  horses  three 
months  ago,  and  he  will  hand  you  the  money  in 
exchange.  Count  the  cattle  you  hand  over,  and  see 
that  you  receive  twenty  ryksdaalders  per  head." 

"  What  am  I  to  pay  ?  " 

"  You  barter  them  for  tobacco,  brandy,  and  clasp 
knives.     I  have  brought  a  sufficient  supply." 

For  fully  an  hour  more  the  interview  lasted,  during 
which  time  all  the  details  were  discussed,  so  that 
Oukop  knew  exactly  what  to  do,  and  where  to  go. 
He  knew  several  Bushman  caves  in  the  surrounding 
hills,  and  could  speak  their  language,  with  its  pecu- 
liar clicks,  fluently. 

It  was  his  habit  when  seeking  parley  with  them 
to  place  some  food  and  tobacco  in  one  of  their  caves, 
as  a  token  that  he  wanted  an  interview,  and  although 
as  a  rule  they  fought  shy  of  other  races,  they 
came  to  know  him  as  a  friend,  or  at  least  as  one 
who  would  not  do  them  an  injury,  unless  they  gave 
provocation. 

Immediately  after  the  interview  with  his  master, 
he  proceeded  in  the  direction  of  one  of  these  caves, 
carrying  a  supply  of  meat  and  tobacco  with  him, 
and  it  was  dusk  before  he  again  returned. 

Witte  saw  him  coming,  and  so  impatient  was  he 
to  hear  what  had  happened,  that  he  sauntered  on 
to  meet  Oukop  some  distance  from  the  homestead. 


154  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  It  is  all  right,  Baas,  they  are  quite  game,  and  will 
start  early  in  the  night,  but  they  want  food  for  the 
road.  I  have  arranged  to  send  over  two  sheep 
to-night  to  be  divided  amongst  them,  and  have 
promised  to  provide  meat  at  certain  stages,  until 
they  reach  the  Orange  River.  It  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary, otherwise  they  will  kill  an  ox  and  so  be 
delayed." 

"  Do  they  know  the  route  well  enough  ?  "  Witte 
asked  anxiously. 

"  Oh,  yes,  some  of  them  know  the  identical  spot 
where  the  cattle  have  to  ford  the  river.  They  can, 
however,  form  no  idea  of  what  a  hundred  means, 
and  we  shall  simply  have  to  take  what  they  bring. 
I  have  pointed  out  to  them  a  certain  mountain, 
where  the  cattle  must  be  on  the  third  night.  There 
I  shall  await  them  with  food,  count  the  cattle  and 
direct  them  further." 

"  Could  they  reach  the  river  on  Sunday  night  ?  " 

"  Easily,  Baas,  for  they  will  drive  night  and  day, 
with  only  short  intervals  for  grazing." 

"  Very  well,  see  that  they  get  what  food  they 
require,  and  start  them  at  once.  I  do  not  want  any 
delay  in  the  matter,  but  above  all,  be  very  careful 
that  you  do  not  in  any  way  compromise  either  me 
or  yourself." 

Having  thus  cautioned  Oukop,  Witte  went  back 
into  his  office  to  think  matters  over  finally.  He  was 
accustomed  to  act  the  sharper  in  all  transactions, 
and  always  found  consolation  in  the  thought  that 
all  was  fair  in  love  and  war.  All  business  matters 
to  him  were  on  a  par  with  warfare,  where  each  one 
had  to  protect  himself  as  well  as  he  could. 


BARGAINING  155 

He  had  however  never  yet  gone  so  far  as  to  commit 
actual  theft,  and  do  what  he  liked,  the  idea  of  his 
present  undertaking  caused  him  a  great  deal  of 
anxiety — not  that  he  had  any  qualms  of  conscience, 
but  he  dreaded  the  possibiUty  of  detection. 

Bushmen  he  knew  to  be  treacherous  in  the 
extreme,  and  if  any  of  them  were  caught  in  the  act, 
he  knew  they  would  at  once  round  upon  Oukop, 
who  had  employed  them  as  tools.  He  knew  that 
he  could  trust  Oukop  through  thick  and  thin,  but 
when  once  the  crime  was  traced  to  his  farm,  he 
would  have  to  abandon  Oukop  to  justice,  so  as  not 
to  compromise  himself  in  any  way,  and  when  Oukop 
found  himself  deserted  in  the  hour  of  trouble,  he 
might  blurt  out  the  whole  truth. 

To  defend  or  protect  Oukop  under  such  circu- 
stances  would  be  tantamount  to  implicating  himself. 
He  therefore  set  himself  the  task  of  counter-plotting 
for  proofs  of  innocence,  in  case  necessity  should 
arise  for  them. 

He  sat  thinking  for  a  long  time,  smoking  one  pipe 
after  another,  until  at  last  he  seemed  to  have  made 
up  his  mind,  for,  on  going  out  of  the  house,  he  put 
his  fingers  in  his  mouth,  and  gave  a  shrill  whistle. 
He  went  back  again,  and  had  hardly  seated  himself 
before  Oukop  appeared  in  the  doorway. 

"  Come  in,  and  close  the  door  after  you." 

Oukop  did  as  he  was  told,  and  again  squatted  on 
the  floor,  as  was  his  habit  when  inside  the  house. 

"  When  are  you  going  to  take  the  food  away  ?  " 
asked  Witte. 

"  As  soon  as  all  are  asleep,"  was  the  cautious 
reply. 


156    THE    BREATH   OF    THE    KARROO 

"How?  " 

"  I  shall  kill  two  sheep,  tie  them  on  horses,  and 
lead  the  horses." 

"  No,  that  will  never  do.  I  have  thought  the 
matter  out  carefully,  so  as  to  avoid  any  further 
trouble." 

"  Baas,  I  have  also  thought  the  matter  over,  and 
I  do  not  Uke  the  business  at  all.  Bushmen  are  never 
to  be  trusted,  and  I  have  a  feeling  that  we  shall 
be  sorry  for  this  Can't  you  think  of  another  way 
of  punishing  those  people  who  insulted  you,  so  that 
we  need  not  confide  our  plans  to  others  ?  " 

Oukop  looked  his  master  straight  in  the  face,  so 
that  for  a  moment  Witte  began  to  waver  ;  but  he 
soon  recovered  himself,  and  said  : 

"  I  have  set  my  heart  upon  this,  and  will  not  turn 
back  ;  besides,  I  have  given  my  word  that  the 
cattle  shall  be  delivered  on  Sunday  night.  If  you 
will  only  carefully  follow  out  my  instructions,  there 
will  be  nothing  to  fear." 

"  As  you  please.  Baas  ;   but  I  am  afraid." 

"  Now,  hsten  carefully.  Go  to  the  Bushmen  and 
tell  them  to  come  and  take  two  sheep  from  the 
kraal,  also  drive  a  young  ox  up  to  the  fountain, 
and  let  them  take  it  with  them.  They  must  on  no 
account  kill  this  ox,  but  put  it  with  the  others  that 
they  are  taking  across  the  Orange  River,  On  the 
second  day  after  they  have  gone,  you  come  and 
report  the  loss  to  me.  I  shall  give  you  a  gun,  and 
put  you  on  a  horse,  with  instructions  to  follow  up 
the  thieves  wherever  they  may  be.  This  will  account 
for  your  absence,  and  give  the  lie  to  any  that  may 
turn  against  us,  and  will  also  allow  you  the  time 


BARGAINING  157 

required  to  be  at  the  appointed  spot  on  the  third 
night." 

"  They  are  sure  to  be  followed  up,  Baas,  for  it  is 
impossible  to  hide  the  spoor  of  a  troop  of  cattle  ; 
and  when  caught  they  will  tell  the  whole  story. 
If  we  deny  it,  and  they  get  into  trouble,  we  shall  be 
daily  pestered  by  the  whole  tribe,  and  our  lives 
would  not  be  safe  for  one  hour." 

Oukop  spoke  seriously,  hoping  to  dissuade  his 
master  from  a  course  that  he  felt  would  lead  to 
disaster. 

"  They  must  not  be  caught,  and  if  they  take  the 
cattle  from  the  farms  I  mentioned,  I  do  not  see  how 
they  can  be  overtaken,  for  it  will  take  from  two  to 
three  days  before  the  owners  will  be  back  from  town, 
and  it  may  take  another  day  or  two  before  they 
discover  their  loss,  so  that  there  will  be  a  clear  start 
of  four  days  at  least.  If  they  are  quick  about  it, 
there  will  not  be  the  least  risk  whatever." 

"  I  will  do  as  you  wish,  Baas,  but  let  me  again 
warn  you  that  the  success  and  safety  of  the  under- 
taking rest  entirely  upon  the  secrecy  of  the  Bush- 
men, and  you  know  what  that  means  !  Even  if 
they  succeed  without  a  hitch,  who  is  to  keep  them 
quiet  ?  At  any  time  they  may  steal  something 
from  this  farm,  and  you  will  be  powerless  to  punish 
them  ;  if  you  do  so,  they  will  not  think  twice  about 
taking  revenge  by  telhng  the  whole  country  what 
they  know.  Baas,  you  are  putting  yourself  in  the 
power  of  traitors." 

Oukop  spoke  earnestly,  and  Witte  felt  the  force  of 
the  argument,  for  he  knew  the  treacherous  nature 
of  the  Bushman.     But  he  also  thought  of  the  money 


158  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

to  be  so  easily  got,  and  his  revenge  upon  his  fellow 
Boers  for  insulting  him,  and  he  waved  Oukop  away, 
determined  that  the  matter  should  go  through. 

For  a  long  time  after  Oukop  had  left  him,  Witte 
sat  thinking  and  smoking.  Already  he  felt  ill  at 
ease,  and  the  warning  of  his  faithful  servant  kept 
ringing  in  his  ears. 

To  give  in  to  fears  was  childish  and  weak  ;  besides, 
he  could  not  think  of  any  other  way  of  wreaking  his 
vengeance.  Still,  he  had  no  wish  to  be  caught  Uke 
a  rat  in  a  trap.  He  quite  agreed  with  Oukop  that 
it  was  foolish  to  put  himself  in  the  power  of  Bush- 
men, and  yet  they  were  ready  and  wiUing  tools.  He 
consoled  himself  with  the  fact  that  Bushmen  were 
known  to  be  notorious  Hars,  and  most  likely  no  one 
would  believe  them  if  they  turned  upon  him  ; 
especially  if  he  proved,  as  he  could,  that  they  had 
also  stolen  an  ox  from  him  on  the  same  occasion, 
and  that  he  had  made  diligent  search  for  it.  If, 
however,  matters  took  a  different  turn  from  what 
he  had  planned,  he  would  think  out  some  method 
of  removing  them  entirely  from  his  path. 

Sorely  against  his  will,  Oukop  carried  out  his 
master's  instructions,  taking  particular  care  that 
none  of  the  farm  servants  should  have  the  slightest 
suspicion  of  what  was  going  on. 

He  exhorted  the  Bushmen  to  be  very  careful,  and 
avoid  meeting  with  any  human  being,  if  possible. 
He  had  carefully  explained  to  them  the  route,  im- 
pressing upon  them  which  parts  to  travel  over  by 
day  and  which  by  night,  so  as  to  minimize  the 
danger  of  detection  before  reaching  the  river.  He 
had  supplied  them  with  food  and  tobacco,  and  prom- 


BAT^GAINING  159 

ised  them  clasp  knives  and  a  plentiful  supply  of 
brandy,  if  they  carried  out  their  mission  without 
a  hitch. 

Brandy  always  was,  and  ever  will  be,  the  curse  of 
the  lesser  developed  native  races,  who  are  always 
ready  to  sell  body  and  soul  for  an  hour's  drunken- 
ness, and  there  is  no  length  to  which  they  will  not 
go,  or  depths  of  degradation  to  which  they  will  not 
descend,  in  order  to  satisfy  their  inordinate  craving 
for  stimulant. 

Little  wonder,  then,  that  they  were  ready  at  the 
risk  of  life  and  limb  to  raid  several  farms  for  cattle 
in  order  to  secure  the  riotous  carousal  which  the 
near  future  promised,  when  brandy  would  be  forth- 
coming from  the  white  man's  cellar,  which  appeared 
to  be  at  all  times  inexhaustible. 

Two  days  later,  as  arranged,  Oukop  counted  the 
live  stock  on  the  farm,  and  announced  that  two  sheep 
and  a  young  ox  were  missing, 

Witte  immediately  ordered  the  men  to  make  care- 
ful search  for  the  missing  animals,  and  to  find  them 
wherever  they  might  be,  threatening  to  deduct  the 
loss  from  their  wages. 

This  threat  they  knew  from  past  experience  to  be 
no  idle  talk  ;  consequently  they  searched  every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  farm,  until  at  last  they 
came  upon  the  place  where  the  sheep  had  been 
slaughtered  by  the  Bushmen. 

Tired  out  and  footsore,  they  returned  to  the 
homestead  towards  evening  to  report  their  dis- 
covery. 

Witte  raved  in  an  exaggerated  manner  against 
Bushmen  as  a  tribe,  and  swore  that  he  would  leave 


i6o  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

no  stone  unturned  until  he  had  purged  his  farm  and 
the  neighbourhood  from  every  vestige  of  the  race. 

Oukop  was  ordered  to  arm  himself  and  leave  early 
the  next  morning  on  horseback  to  trace  the  thieves, 
and  not  to  return  until  he  had  captured  them,  or  at 
least  discovered  their  whereabouts,  so  as  to  enable 
Witte  to  collect  some  neighbours  and  hunt  them 
out. 

The  play  was  kept  up  until  Oukop  had  left,  and 
then  Witte  gave  strict  instructions  to  all  his  servants 
that  any  sign  of  the  presence  of  Bushmen  on  his  farm 
should  forthwith  be  reported  to  him,  and  as  a  further 
precaution  he  ordered  his  horse  to  be  saddled,  so 
that  he  could  go  to  his  nearest  neighbours  and  warn 
them  of  the  presence  of  a  den  of  thieves  in  their 
midst,  and  thus  put  them  on  their  guard. 

So  far  all  promised  well,  and  Witte  knew  that  he 
could  place  absolute  rehance  on  Oukop,  whose  native 
shrewdness  would  overcome  all  difficulties  that 
might  arise  from  the  Bushmen. 

If  all  went  well,  Oukop  would  be  back  on  the  night 
of  the  following  Tuesday,  and  his  master  waited 
with  what  patience  he  could  for  the  time  to  pass. 


CHAPTER    XI 

NEMESIS 

JUST  before  daybreak  the  following  morning 
Brandt  and  his  party — whose  beds  con- 
sisted of  hollows  scooped  out  in  the  sand, 
with  saddles  or  saddlebags  as  pillows — 
got  up,  and  whilst  the  natives  kindled  a  fire  to  pre- 
pare the  morning  coffee — for  the  Boer  never  travels 
without  a  kettle  and  a  good  supply  of  ground  coffee 
— the  men  went  to  the  water  to  wash. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see,  Jantje  was 
ordered  to  walk  round  the  spot  to  find  out  into 
how  many  parties  the  thieves  had  split  themselves, 
so  that  something  definite  could  be  decided  upon 
before  making  a  start. 

"  I  have  grown  up  here,"  said  Brandt,  "  but  never 
before  have  known  Bushmen  band  together  like 
this." 

"  And  not  only  that,  Oom  Jan,"  said  Gijs,  "  but 
have  you  ever  heard  of  Bushmen  dividing  the  spoil 
amongst  themselves  and  travelhng  so  far  before 
killing  a  beast  and  gorging  themselves  ?  " 

"  There  is  something  new  about  their  tactics,  and 
unless  a  decided  stop  is  put  to  it,  the  country  will 
soon  be  denuded  of  cattle,"  replied  Brandt. 

"  I  am  not  surprised  at  it,"  said  Wijnand.     "  I 

L  l6l 


i62  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

think  fear  drives  them  on  Uke  this.  They  have 
committed  murder,  and  know  that  they  will  be  fol- 
lowed." 

"  In  that  case  they  would  have  taken  to  the  moun- 
tains sooner.  I  am  sorry  that  they  have  split 
up,  for  it  will  take  us  very  much  longer  to  hunt  them 
all  out.  We  shall  have  to  call  in  the  assistance  of 
the  Boers  round  about  here." 

Coffee  was  soon  ready  and  served  out  with  a  bis- 
cuit and  a  chunk  of  biltong.  The  discussion  was 
kept  up  during  breakfast  until  Jantje  returned  from 
his  inspection  of  the  spoor. 

He  went  straight  up  to  Brandt,  and  reported  that 
the  cattle  had  been  divided  into  eight  parts  which 
were  driven  in  different  directions.  And  he  gave 
particulars  of  each  group  and  the  number  of  drivers. 

"  Baas,"  he  continued,  "  there  is  something  sus- 
picious, for  I  see  that  they  have  been  met  here  by  a 
man  on  horseback." 

"  How  can  you  tell  ?  It  might  be  that  a  man 
passed  here  on  horseback  after  they  had  gone  on," 
suggested  Gijs. 

"  No,  Baas,  I  am  sure.  Here  at  the  water  the 
spoor  of  the  horse  shows  over  those  of  the  cattle, 
but  a  Uttle  further  on  the  spoor  of  the  cattle  shows 
over  those  of  the  horse.  He  must,  therefore,  have 
left  here  before  the  cattle." 

"  But  how  do  you  know  that  there  was  a  man  on 
the  horse  ?     It  might  have  been  a  stray  horse." 

"  Any  one  can  see  that,  Baas,"  replied  Jantje, 
moving  off  to  join  the  other  natives. 

"  Now,  the  question  is  whether  this  rider  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  matter  at  all,"  said  Brandt. 


NEMESIS  163 

"  He  may  have  been  a  casual  passer-by,  or  he  may 
have  been  searching  for  lost  cattle  too,  and  came  to 
see  whether  his  were  amongst  those  he  saw  at  the 
water.     We  shall  find  that  out  later." 

The  horses  were  soon  saddled  again  and  the  party 
in  readiness  to  proceed. 

Brandt  divided  the  men  into  three  groups,  and 
ordered  them  to  follow  the  three  sections  of  spoor 
that  were  nearest  to  each  other,  so  that  the  party 
could  remain  in  touch  as  much  as  possible.  He  gave 
instructions  to  push  on  as  fast  as  they  could,  and 
not  to  rest  except  to  water  the  horses  at  noon. 

■Each  group  took  up  the  spoor  indicated,  and 
started  off  at  a  fast  canter.  They  were  soon  divided 
by  kopjes  and  hills  and  beyond  hailing  distance, 
as  the  spoor  led  them  apart. 

The  pursuers  had,  however,  made  up  their  minds 
to  see  the  matter  through,  and  determined  to  cover 
a  good  distance  during  the  day,  if  the  thieves  were 
not  overtaken  sooner. 

The  horses  were  not  spared,  and  early  in  the  after- 
noon began  to  show  signs  of  fatigue.  Still,  as  the 
Orange  River  could  be  reached  before  dark,  they 
were  encouraged  to  keep  up  the  chase,  as  it  was  just 
possible  that  the  stolen  cattle  would  be  given  a  rest 
there. 

About  an  hour  before  sunset  the  groups  of  pur- 
suers suddenly  came  within  sight  of  each  other,  and 
seemed  to  be  making  for  the  same  point  ahead. 

Brandt,  thinking  that  the  others  had  abandoned 
or  lost  their  trail,  and  returned,  lost  his  temper,  and 
shouted  out  his  disapproval  before  they  came  up  to 
him.     But  soon  another  surprise  met  him,  as  it 


i64  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

became  apparent  that  the  spoor  all  came  together 
again,  and  that  the  cattle  were  once  more  driven  in 
a  body. 

Jantje,  who  was  some  distance  ahead,  noticed 
it  first,  and  after  proceeding  a  few  paces  further, 
suddenly  stood  still,  and  beckoned  to  the  others. 

When  they  came  up  with  him,  he  pointed  to  the 
ground,  and  there  again  were  the  footprints  of  a 
horse,  and  to  all  appearance  the  same  spoor  they 
had  seen  that  morning. 

It  now  became  abundantly  clear  that  the  Bush- 
men were  acting  under  the  command  of  the  mys- 
terious individual  on  horseback.  A  hurried  con- 
sultation took  place,  during  which  Brandt  decided 
to  send  Gijs  and  Wijnand  to  the  crest  of  a  fairly  high 
kopje  from  where  the  river  could  be  seen  in  the 
distance,  to  see  if  any  sign  of  the  cattle  was  to  be 
discovered  ;  and  told  them  to  wave  their  hats 
should  they  spy  them  anywhere. 

Eagerly  the  two  scaled  the  kopje,  and  within  a 
few  minutes  were  peering  from  the  top  in  every 
direction.  They  could  see  no  trace  of  cattle  any- 
where, although  the  river  was  plainly  in  sight  some 
half  an  hour's  ride  further  on. 

Failing  to  discern  anything  in  the  distance  they 
walked  over  the  top  of  the  kopje  and  disappeared 
from  view,  but  within  a  few  minutes  reappeared, 
running  and  waving  their  hats  ;  nor  did  they  stop 
until  they  met  the  others  who  hurried  forward  to 
meet  them. 

"  They  are  right  behind  the  kopje,"  exclaimed 
Gijs,  panting.  "  We  could  not  see  anything  in  the 
distance,  and  walked  over  to  look  below  us,  when  we 


NEMESIS  165 

almost  fell  right  upon  them.  The  man  on  horse- 
back was  just  riding  off  in  the  direction  of  the 
river." 

"  Did  they  see  you  ?  "  asked  Brandt. 

"  No,  the  moment  we  caught  sight  of  them  we  hid 
behind  boulders  and  retreated." 

"  They  are  evidently  giving  the  cattle  a  rest 
before  fording  the  river,  and  the  rider  has  gone  off 
first  to  find  a  suitable  spot,"  remarked  Brandt. 
"  We  can  easily  recapture  the  cattle  and  shoot  the 
Bushmen  ;  but  above  all  I  should  like  to  get  at  the 
rider,  as  he  is  far  worse  than  the  Bushmen.  Could 
you  see  what  he  was  hke  ?  " 

"  His  face  was  turned  from  us,  but,  judging  from 
his  clothes  and  his  manner  of  riding,  I  should  say  he 
was  a  Hottentot,"  replied  Wijnand. 

"  What  is  the  kopje  like  on  the  other  side  ?  " 

"  Very  rocky,  and  there  is  a  kloof  running  down  it 
covered  with  thick  bush,  in  which  the  thieves  are 
hiding  with  their  booty  ;  but  from  the  foot  of  the 
kopje  is  a  clear  stretch  of  grass  veld  right  up  to  the 
banks  of  the  river,  which  is  again  covered  with  thick 
mimosa,"  answered  Wijnand. 

"  Then  it  will,  perhaps,  be  best  to  surround  the 
kopje  at  once,  and  despatch  them  before  they  reach 
the  mimosa,"  suggested  Gijs,  "  Wijnand  and  I 
can  go  to  the  top  and  waylay  them  while  the  others 
charge  from  the  bottom." 

"  And  in  the  end  we  shall  have  more  casualities 
than  they.  You  have  still  to  learn  the  ways  of  the 
Bushman,  my  boy.  The  bush,  the  rock  and  the 
crevice  are  his  elements,  and  it  is  no  child's  play  to 
dislodge  him  from  these.     You  may  find  yourself 


i66  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

riddled  with  poisoned  arrows  before  you  even  so 
much  as  catch  a  gHmpse  of  him.  My  object  is  not 
to  fight  the  Bushmen,  but  simply  to  exterminate 
them  as  vermin,  and  we  have  to  consider  the  best 
ways  and  means  of  doing  that. 

"  We  shall  stop  under  cover  where  we  are,  and 
rest  our  horses,  until  they  leave  the  kopje  with  the 
cattle,  and,  as  soon  as  they  are  too  far  away  to 
retreat,  we  shall  charge  from  behind  and  overtake 
them,  before  they  reach  the  river  bank  ;  for  in  the 
open  veld  Bushmen  are  helpless,  as  their  arrows 
cannot  carry  so  far  as  the  bullet." 

"  Baas,"  interrupted  Jantje,  "  we  must  not  give 
them  too  great  a  start,  for  some  of  them  run  as  fast 
as  a  horse,  and  if  they  see  us  in  time  they  will 
abandon  the  cattle  and  take  to  their  heels,  and,  as 
our  horses  are  tired  out  already,  they  will  escape." 

"  All  right,  Jantje.  You  had  better  go  to  the 
top  of  the  hill  now  and  watch  their  movements,  so 
that  you  can  give  the  sign  when  to  start. 

"  No,  Baas.  It  is  no  good  going  to  the  top  again, 
as  one  of  them  might  be  going  there,  too,  to  see 
if  the  land  is  clear.  I  will  slink  round  the  base,  and 
keep  well  out  of  sight." 

"  What  you  say  is  good,"  replied  Brandt,  well 
pleased,  "  and  we  shall  in  the  meantime  go  to  that 
patch  of  mimosa  at  the  side  of  the  hill  to  get  better 
cover,  in  case  they  should  send  a  rear  spy." 

Jantje  set  off  at  once  on  his  errand,  while  Brandt 
and  his  party  prepared  themselves  for  the  coming 
slaughter,  taking  shelter  as  agreed. 

The  sun  was  sinking  low,  and  Jantje  still  remained 
away,  which  caused  Brandt  to  become  very  impa- 


NEMESIS  167 

tient,  for  under  cover  of  darkness  a  Bushman  is  the 
worst  possible  foe  to  meet.  Even  in  broad  dayhght 
he  is  a  difficult  quarry,  for  given  the  least  shelter — 
even  a  Uttle  bush, — he  will  not  show  the  white 
feather,  but  He  in  wait  until  his  enemy  is  within 
easy  range  of  his  deadly  arrow,  and  then  he  will 
fight  to  the  death. 

Brandt,  therefore,  ordered  his  men  to  follow  him 
at  a  walking  pace,  in  the  direction  Jantje  had  gone, 
determined,  if  necessary,  to  storm  the  kloof  while 
light  lasted,  sooner  than  allow  the  Bushmen  to 
escape  during  the  night. 

Fortune,  however,  favoured  him,  for  just  as  he 
was  rounding  the  base  of  the  hill,  Jantje  returned  at 
a  gallop  to  call  the  men  together. 

Brandt  hurriedly  gave  orders,  and  warned  his 
men  to  remain  out  of  reach  of  the  arrows,  if  possible, 
whilst  Jantje  received  a  command  to  hold  himself 
in  readiness  to  extract  any  arrow  that  might  find  its 
mark. 

No  further  time  was  lost,  and  the  men  dashed 
round  the  kopje  in  pursuit.  The  Bushmen  were 
about  half  a  mile  away  and  driving  the  cattle  at  a 
slow  pace.  The  distance  they  had  travelled  gave 
them  a  feehng  of  security — nobody  looked  round, 
and  Brandt  was  able  to  get  quite  close  to  them  before 
he  was  observed. 

It  was  an  open  grassy  plain,  without  shelter  of 
any  description,  and  as  soon  as  the  alarm  was 
raised,  the  Bushmen  dashed  in  among  the  cattle, 
with  the  idea  of  protecting  themselves  behind  them. 

For  the  moment  Brandt  and  his  men  were  non- 
plussed by  what  certainly  was  a  clever  move,  as, 


i68  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

although  arrows  could  be  shot  at  them,  they  could 
not  fire  in  return  without  fear  of  kilhng  and  maiming 
the  cattle. 

The  problem  was  to  separate  the  Bushmen  from 
the  cattle  before  night  fell.  At  most  there  would  be 
half  an  hour's  daylight  in  which  to  do  what  was  neces- 
sary, and  if  they  failed  to  effect  their  purpose  before 
dark,  the  raiders  would  undoubtedly  make  good  their 
escape. 

The  cattle,  tired  out  by  their  long  march,  and  con- 
fused by  the  strange  conduct  of  their  drivers,  stood 
stock  still,  unconsciously  providing  the  required 
cover. 

Brandt  called  a  halt  to  consider  what  was  best 
to  do  in  this  new  and  unexpected  development. 

"  There  is  only  one  way,"  said  Gijs.  "  We  have 
to  charge  right  into  them  and  scatter  the  cattle.  I 
have  often  heard  that  Bushmen  are  bad  shots  at  fast 
moving  objects." 

"  That  is  true,"  answered  Brandt,  "  but  a  man 
on  horseback  is  a  large  mark  and  can  hardly  be 
missed.  And  we  must  not  forget  that  good  horses 
are  more  precious  than  cattle.  Besides,  I  do  not 
wish  to  risk  any  lives." 

"  Here's  a  suggestion  that  may  be  useful,"  put 
in  one  of  the  young  Boers.  "  In  shooting  at  a  spring- 
bok lately  as  it  ran  in  and  out  amongst  a  herd  of 
cattle,  I  accidently  hit  a  bullock  in  his  hind  quarter, 
and  he  immediately  started  jumping  about  and  bel- 
lowing with  pain.  As  soon  as  the  rest  of  the  band 
scented  the  blood  they  began  to  bellow  too,  and  run 
after  their  wounded  comrade.  Perhaps  if  we  were 
to  wound  one  of  these  young  oxen  he  might  be  the 


NEMESIS  169 

means  of  setting  the  herd  in  motion,  and  enable  us 
to  effect  our  purpose  before  dark." 

"  The  very  thing  !  "  exclaimed  Brandt.  "  Shoot 
one."  Approaching  to  a  safe  distance,  the  sug- 
gestor  of  this  brilhant  counter-move  dismounted  and 
fired  at  a  bullock,  hitting  him  sideways  in  the  but- 
tocks. 

The  effect  was  electrical.  The  animal  bellowed 
and  circled  through  the  herd  as  if  possessed  with  an 
evil  spirit,  disturbing  the  equanimity  and  dignity 
of  even  the  sedate  and  mild-eyed  cows  by  his  sudden 
and  inexplicable  behaviour. 

'  Soon  some  of  the  younger  animals  began  to  get 
excited  and  ran  after  the  injured  beast  with  their 
tails  high  in  the  air ;  while  the  older  ones,  stirred 
by  the  unexpected  commotion,  and  getting  the  smell 
of  blood  in  their  nostrils,  bellowed  angrily,  and 
dashed  hither  and  thither  aimlessly  as  though  trying 
to  discover  the  nature  of  the  disturbance. 

As  the  cattle  began  to  disperse  a  Bushmen  here 
and  there  became  isolated  and  immediately  several 
shots  rang  out.  The  herd,  already  disturbed,  took 
fright,  and  broke  loose  in  all  directions. 

The  horsemen  soon  surrounded  the  Bushmen, 
who  crouched  flat  on  the  ground,  vainly  endeavour- 
ing to  reach  the  enemy  with  their  arrows. 

The  great  odds  in  favour  of  the  bullet  soon  began 
to  tell,  and  ere  dark  there  was  not  one  Bushman  left 
to  warn  his  tribe  of  the  fate  in  store  for  them. 
Fourteen  corpses  of  men,  women,  and  children  were 
dragged  to  a  little  sloot  some  distance  off  and  covered 
with  grass. 

Before  the  last  few  were  shot,   Brandt  ordered 


170  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Jantje,  who  could  make  himself  understood,  to  shout 
out  that,  if  the  survivors  would  throw  down  their 
arrows  and  say  who  the  rider  was,  he  would  spare 
their  lives.  The  only  reply  was  a  few  arrows  whiz- 
zing close  past  Jantje's  head,  and  although  the  offer 
was  repeated  three  times,  no  other  answer  could  be 
obtained.  A  few  minutes  later  the  little  company 
were  numbered  with  the  dead. 

"  This  undoubtedly  is  the  saddest  bit  of  work  I 
have  ever  done  on  a  Sunday," remarked  Brandt,  "but 
I  have  no  misgivings  about  it,  for  amongst  these 
men  are  the  murderers  of  those  two  innocent  chil- 
dren. I  cannot  go  back  on  my  oath  to  exterminate 
the  Bushmen,  even  though  I  have  satisfied  my  own 
personal  vengeance.  It  may  seem  harsh  and 
cruel,  but  the  safety  and  prosperity  of  my  country- 
men demand  it.  Better  that  it  be  done  at  once 
than  to  leave  it  to  the  future,  when,  after  a  long 
string  of  murders  and  heartbreakings,  our  children, 
who  will  find  that  it  is  impossible  for  an  industrious 
civilised  race  to  hve  together  with  an  indolent  thiev- 
ing tribe  that  exists  like  parasites  on  the  sweat  of 
others,  will  be  compelled  to  take  up  the  task." 

The  men  now  gathered  the  cattle  together,  and 
returned  to  the  kloof.  It  was  a  calm  night,  and  the 
party  would  gladly  have  started  on  the  return 
journey  had  the  horses  been  fresh.  As  things 
were  it  was  decided  to  bivouac  and  march  early 
next  morning. 

The  wounded  bullock  had  ceased  his  antics  and 
stood  apart  from  the  herd.  It  was  evident  that 
he  would  not  be  able  to  travel  for  many  days  to 
come,   as    the    wound    was    deep    and   crippling. 


NEMESIS  1 71 

Brandt,  therefore,  ordered  him  to  be  shot,  and  as 
much  meat  to  be  carried  as  was  required  for  pro- 
visions along  the  road. 

The  animal  proved  to  be  one  of  Xante  Let's,  so 
Gijs  himself  gave  the  coup-de-grace.  Very  soon 
the  meat  was  cut  up,  and  placed  on  some  bushes 
to  dry. 

A  large  fire  was  made,  and  as  the  meat  supply 
was  practically  unlimited,  each  man  roasted  as 
much  as  he  could  eat.  The  native  servants,  cheered 
by  the  prospect  of  a  flesh  feast,  chatted  gaily  among 
themselves,  recounting  the  events  of  the  last  hour 
over  and  over  again.  The  white  men  alone  were 
quiet  and  thoughtful. 

Brandt  spoke  very  httle,  and  then  merely  to 
refer  to  the  mysterious  rider  who  had  escaped 
retribution. 

He  knew  it  would  be  futile  to  attempt  to  follow 
the  spoor  across  the  river,  though  he  would  gladly 
have  spent  days  in  the  attempt  had  he  thought  there 
would  be  the  sHghtest  chance  of  discovering  the 
identity  of  the  horseman. 

Gijs  and  Wijnand  spoke  only  when  addressed, 
and  made  the  merest  attempt  at  eating.  It  was 
their  first  experience  of  shedding  human  blood, 
and  although  the  victims  were  Bushmen  and 
murderers,  the  deed  went  against  the  grain. 

Some  of  the  other  men,  less  interested,  and 
thoroughly  tired  out  with  the  day's  exertions,  ate 
voraciously  large  pieces  of  grilled  meat  before 
seeking  out  a  comfortable  spot  on  the  bare  ground 
on  which  to  sleep. 

When  Brandt  and  his  party  returned,  the  news 


172  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

of  the  first  "  kill "  spread  from  farm  to  farm,  from 
district  to  district,  until  it  became  common  know- 
ledge among  the  Bushmen  as  well.  Had  the  latter 
taken  warning,  and  conquered  their  thieving  pro- 
pensities, had  they  offered  their  services  to  the 
Boers,  who  would  not  only  have  paid  and  fed  them 
in  return  but  have  civilized  them  into  useful  and 
respectable  citizens,  the  issue  of  the  feud  would 
have  been  vastly  different. 

The  old-time  Boer  was  very  strict  with  his  servants 
and  often  beat  them  mercilessly  for  petty  crimes. 
On  the  other  hand,  when  his  commands  were  met 
with  obedience  and  respect,  he  undoubtedly  made 
the  most  considerate  and  generous  of  masters. 
Strictly  orthodox  in  rehgion,  he  conducted  house- 
hold prayers  every  night  before  retiring,  and  every 
servant,  from  the  oldest  to  the  youngest,  was  ex- 
pected to  be  present. 

The  head  of  the  family  would  take  up  his  position 
at  the  table  with  the  Bible,  whilst  the  wife  and 
children  sat  around,  holding  their  hymn  books. 
When  all  was  ready  the  Baas  shouted  to  the  kitchen, 
and  immediately  the  servants  filed  in,  and  squatted 
down  respectfully  on  the  floor.  The  lesson  was 
read  and  explained,  a  hymn  sung  and  a  prayer 
offered,  after  which  the  children  and  servants  were 
questioned  on  the  lesson  in  order  that  the  inter- 
locutor might  find  out  whether  proper  attention 
had  been  given  to  the  solemn  matter  in  hand. 

Bushman,  however,  had  no  mind  for  civiHzation 
of  this  kind.  Bred,  for  generations,  to  indolence, 
he  resented  all  attempts  to  make  him  work  and 
learn,  and  deeply  resented  the  intrusion  of  the  white 


NEMESIS  173 

man  into  a  country  wherein  the  natives  were  accus- 
tomed to  roam  and  shoot  and  dig  for  roots  in  perfect 
freedom.  When  he  reaUsed  that  he  was  expected 
to  work  or  extinguish  himself,  the  Bushman,  as  a 
natural  result,  turned  his  hand  against  his  so-called 
oppressor  in  a  mad  attempt  to  free  himself  from 
what  he  considered  an  interfering  and  tyrannical 
domination. 

Many  were  the  murders  committed,  many  the 
homesteads  entered  in  the  dead  of  night,  many  the 
children  waylaid  and  killed  in  broad  daylight  on 
the  farms.  Outrages  that  hastened  the  end,  for  at 
last  the  only  evidence  of  the  existence  of  the  savage 
wanderers  was  the  crude,  indelible  drawings  to  be 
seen  on  the  rocks  and  in  the  caves. 

Whatever  may  be  said  of  the  pioneer  Karroo 
farmer,  the  fact  remains  that  he  converted  a  large 
tract  of  country,  a  barren  desert  infested  by  roving 
bands  of  Bushmen,  and  overrun  by  fierce  beasts  of 
prey,  into  a  habitable  and  revenue-producing  part 
of  the  Colony. 

The  struggle  was  an  arduous  one,  lasting  over 
many  generations,  and  retarded  the  Boer  in  his 
forward  march  in  the  van  of  progress  and  educa- 
tion. But  dormant  within  him  lay  the  splendid 
traits  of  his  forefathers  across  the  sea,  and  when  at 
last  his  battle  with  beasts,  Bushmen,  and  barren 
deserts  was  won,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
higher  aspects  of  life,  and  won  a  place  for  himself 
there  also. 


CHAPTER    XII 

GIJS   PROPOSES 

A  BOUT  three  months  after  the  tragic  event  at 
/\        Sterkf ontein,  things  began  to  quieten  down 
/     \      and  assume  their  usual  peaceful  aspect. 
To  the  surprise  of  all,  Tante  Let  appeared 
cheerful  and  interested  in  the  welfare  of  her  neigh- 
bours.    For  days  at  a  time  she  was  away  from 
home  watching  over  a  sick  bed  at  some  distant 
farm,  like  an  angel  of  mercy  bringing  solace  and 
peace.     Often   she   would   return   to   find   a   cart 
waiting  for  her,  and  an  urgent  message  to  come  to 
the  assistance  of  some  other  family  stricken  down 
by  illness. 

However  worn  out  and  in  need  of  rest  she  might 
be,  to  refuse  would  have  given  Tante  Let  more 
pain  than  a  whole  week's  tiring  vigil  at  a  sick  bed. 
Her  life  was  spent  in  loving  sacrifices  for  others, 
and  often  when  remonstrated  with  by  friends,  she 
would  say  that  it  helped  her  to  forget  her  own 
sorrows  and  longing  for  her  dear  ones. 

One  evening  after  worship,  as  Gijs  was  sitting 
in  his  accustomed  seat  opposite  her,  she  went  up 
to  him  and  tenderly  stroking  his  head,  said : 

"  Gijs,  you  are  old  enough  to  get  married  now, 
and  it  is  my  dearest  wish  that  you  should  have 

174 


GIJS    PROPOSES  175 

a  good,  cheerful  companion.  Besides,  I  am  so 
very  lonely  in  the  house  when  you  are  out.  I  long 
for  children  about  me,  and  it  would  be  a  comfort 
in  my  old  age  to  be  surrounded  by  your  little  ones, 
who  would  in  course  of  time  be  the  natural  heirs 
of  what  your  father  and  you  yourself  have  worked 
and  struggled  for." 

Gijs  smiled  up  at  her. 

"  Lately  the  old  home  has  been  so  neglected  for 
the  sake  of  others,  that  either  I  shall  have  to  get 
married,  or  ask  you  seriously  not  to  go  out  so  often 
as  you  have  done  of  late  !  " 

•"  Don't  be  selfish,  Gijs.  Remember,  in  our  days 
of  trouble  friends  came  from  far  and  near  to  offer 
help,  and  spared  no  trouble  to  do  for  us  what  lay 
in  their  power." 

"  It  is  not  selfishness,  mother.  I  am  concerned 
for  your  health.    You  are  all  I  have." 

"  You  must  get  another  interest." 

"  Easier  said  than  done,"  replied  Gijs,  with  a 
sigh. 

"  You  surprise  me  !  Have  you  not  made  an 
attempt  ?  " 

"  No,  mother,"  said  the  young  man,  simply. 

"  Then  don't  look  for  obstacles.  You  know  the 
saying,  '  Faint  heart  never  won  fair  lady  '  ?  " 

"It  is  not  that — although  I  am  uncomfortably 
shy  in  the  presence  of  women.  The  fact  is,  I  am 
not  alone  in  the  field." 

Tante  Let  smiled.  She  knew  him  and  every 
trait  in  his  character.  He  was  his  father  over 
again.  Her  mind  went  back  to  the  past  and  the 
day    when    her    Gijs,    tongue-tied    and    faltering. 


176  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

declared  his  love  in  a  manner  that  caused  her  nearly 
to  laugh  in  his  face,  even  whilst  she  loved  him  for 
the  very  awkwardness  of  the  effort,  knowing  that 
it  was  only  genuine  affection  that  could  ever  have 
forced  him  to  the  attempt. 

"  Oh,  I  see  !  There  are  two  dogs  after  the  hare 
What  of  it  ?  You  have  everything  in  your  favour, 
youth,  health,  and  a  comfortable  home  to  offer. 
If  the  young  lady  knows  you  as  well  as  your  old 
mother  does  she  will  see  to  it  that  you  win  the 
race." 

"  That  is  exactly  what  the  other  dog's  mother 
thinks  of  him,  you  know  !  Besides,  it  does  not 
depend  upon  the  speed  of  the  harriers  in  this  case. 
They  are  chained  to  each  other." 

Gijs  was  beginning  to  stammer  and  blush,  to  the 
secret  amusement  of  his  mother,  for  she  had  long 
since  divined  his  feelings,  although  the  subject  had 
never  been  broached  between  them.  She  knew 
perfectly  well  on  whom  her  boy  had  set  his  heart, 
but  had  no  idea  that  he  had  a  rival  in  the  field.  She 
not  only  approved  his  choice  but  wished  to  see  the 
early  consummation  of  his  desires. 

"  What  a  stupid  way  to  hunt  a  hare  !  While 
the  dogs  are  struggling  with  each  other  the  hare 
will  escape.     Tell  me  all  about  it." 

Tante  Let  laughed  cheerfully,  in  a  purposeful 
endeavour  to  put  him  at  his  ease,  and  showed  such 
keen  interest  that  Gijs  overcame  his  embarrass- 
ment and  gave  a  full  account  of  all  that  had  taken 
place  between  Wijnand  and  himself. 

"  So,  you  see,  mother,  I  am  bound  by  ties  of 
honour  and  hfe-long  friendship  not  to  take  any 


GIJS   PROPOSES  177 

advantage  over  Wijnand,  and  we  both  feel  that  the 
right  course  will  be  to  let  Nettie  know  the  true 
state  of  affairs  and  leave  her  to  decide." 

Xante  Let  smiled.  "  I  understand,  of  course, 
that  men  in  love  act  like  fools,  but — to  go  to  this 
length !  Imagine  you  and  Wijnand  submitting 
yourselves  to  Nettie  like  two  pairs  of  boots  sent  on 
approval,  with  a  request  to  try  them  on  and  return 
the  pair  that  does  not  fit !  " 

Even  Gijs  had  to  laugh  at  the  absurdity  of  the 
situation  as  seen  through  his  mother's  eyes. 

"  Well,  mother,  what  is  your  solution  of  the 
difficulty  ?  " 

"  To  begin  with,  letter  writing  is  altogether  out 
of  the  question.  It  has  such  a  ring  of  insincerity 
about  it,  and  frequently  conveys  the  impression 
that  the  writer  has  not  sufficient  manliness  to  plead 
his  cause  in  person.  No  girl  cares  for  a  proposal 
on  paper.  It  shatters  the  sweet  dreams  of  her 
girlhood,  and  makes  the  moment  to  which  she  has 
looked  forward  with  a  throbbing  heart,  cold  and 
pulseless — a  sort  of  commercial  transaction,  in 
fact.  No,  Gijs,  a  letter  would  be  a  great  mistake, 
for,  remember,  what  wins  a  girl's  heart  are  not 
words — most  girls  are  won  before  a  single  word  is 
spoken — but  looks,  pleadings,  earnestness ;  and, 
should  she  surrender  herself,  the  lover  must  be  there 
to  kiss  her,  so  that  she  may  feel  and  realise  the 
sweet  sanctity  of  her  betrothal.  What  then  must 
a  girl  think  of  a  man  who  would  suffer  a  cold 
sheet  of  paper  to  take  his  place  at  such  a 
moment  ?  " 

Xante  Let  was  quite  out  of  breath  with  her  long 


178  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

speech.  Motherlike,  her  object  was  to  ridicule 
Gijs  out  of  his  inborn  shyness. 

"  I  know  so  Uttle  about  women's  ways,"  Gijs 
said,  diffidently.  "  You  can  hardly  blame  me  if 
I  don't  know  what  to  do." 

"  You  are  a  goose !  Open  your  eyes  and  look 
about  you,  and  find  things  out  for  yourself.  I 
thought  that  men  were  born  with  an  abnormal 
propensity  for  love-making,  and  here  am  I  actually 
teaching  you  the  very  rudiments  of  the  art !  " 

"  Really,  mother,  I  never  intended  writing  any 
letter  to  Nettie,  but  in  fairness  to  each  other,  Wij- 
nand  and  I  agreed  to  do  so  in  order  that  she  might 
know  that  we  both  love  her,  as  otherwise  she  might 
accept  the  first  one  who  proposes,  not  knowing  that 
the  other  would  follow." 

"  Upon  my  word,  you  are  a  bright  pair  !  You 
are  going  to  tell  her  what  she  knows  as  well  as  you 
do  yourself.  You  might  as  well  write  and  say  that 
the  sun  will  rise  to-morrow." 

"  Knows,  mother,  knows  !  Who  on  earth  can 
have  told  her  ?  "  Gijs  looked  up,  bewildered. 

"  Do  you  think  that  your  confession  was  a  reve- 
lation to  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  spoken  about  it  to  any  one  save 
Wijnand.     Surely  he  has  not  mentioned  it  ?  " 

"  You  never  spoke  about  it  !  Why  you  told 
^  me,  you  told  her,  and  the  whole  world  that  you 
love  her." 

Gijs  flushed  crimson.  He  had  stupidly  thought 
that  his  secret  was  his  only,  and  now  that  the  truth 
dawned  upon  him  and  he  realised  the  fact  that  not 
only  Nettie  but  the  whole  district  knew  his  feehngs. 


GIJS    PROPOSES  179 

he  felt  like  a  guilty  criminal  who  long  ago  committed 
a  murder  in  some  lonely  solitude,  only  to  discover 
later  that  unseen  eyes  had  watched  throughout. 

Tante  Let  noticed  his  confusion,  but  continued 
in  the  same  mood,  as  she  wished  to  cure  him  of  his 
timidity,  and  help  him  to  become  more  self-reliant. 

"  There  is  no  need  to  be  dishonest  with  Wijnand ; 
you  can  tell  him  plainly  that  in  this  matter  each 
has  to  fight  his  own  battle,  and  the  loser  must 
understand  that  the  other  is  not  to  blame." 

The  conversation  lasted  for  some  time  before 
Tante  Let  kissed  her  son  and  retired  for  the  night. 

She  felt  alarmed  that  Gijs  and  Wijnand  had  both 
fallen  in  love  with  the  same  girl,  for  she  feared  that 
it  might  be  the  means  of  clouding  a  friendship  which 
had  existed  from  childhood. 

Tante  Let  was  a  keen  observer,  and  she  had 
noticed  that  Nettie  was  giving  signs  of  the  gentler 
passion  as  well,  otherwise  she  would  not  have 
encouraged  her  son  in  that  direction.  She  took  it 
for  granted  that  Nettie's  eyes  had  fallen  on  Gijs, 
but  now  that  she  knew  that  Wijnand  also  competed 
for  the  prize,  she  did  not  feel  so  sure  of  her  ground. 

Women  are  not  so  easy  to  read  as  men,  on  account 
of  their  natural  powers  of  dissimulation,  and  yet 
Tante  Let  felt  confident  that  her  son's  chances 
stood  higher  than  his  rival's,  for,  although  in  per- 
sonal appearance  he  was  not  so  prepossessing  as 
Wijnand,  his  character  and  family  connections 
were  unblemished,  and  his  social  and  financial 
standing  secured ;  whereas  Wijnand,  being  one 
of  a  large  family,  would  not  be  able  to  dower  his 
wife  so  liberally. 


i8o  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

No  sooner,  however,  did  the  thought  flash  across 
her  mind,  but  Tante  Let  despised  herself  for  it. 
She  keenly  felt  the  humiliation  of  the  admission 
that  she  was  trying  to  bolster  Gijs  up  with  worldly 
goods,  to  bring  him  on  a  level  with  his  poorer  rival, 
and  to  her  he  was  all  that  a  woman  could  wish  for 
in  a  man. 

She  comforted  herself  with  the  thought  that 
Nettie  was  one  of  those  rare  girls  who  looked  beneath 
the  surface,  and  could  not  be  bhnded  by  mere 
outward  appearances,  or  the  glitter  and  gild  of 
things.  Should  it  come  to  pass  that  Nettie  preferred 
Wijnand,  there  were  other  fish  in  the  sea,  and  she 
found  herself  already  casting  about  in  her  mind  for 
a  substitute. 

The  next  morning  at  sunrise  Gijs  fired  off  his 
usual  salute  to  Wijnand,  and  as  soon  as  the  reply 
sounded  on  the  still  air  he  fired  off  another  shot 
which  Wijnand  knew  to  be  an  invitation  to  come 
over. 

Tante  Let  smiled  when  she  heard  the  second 
report.  It  told  her  that  her  words  had  taken  root, 
and  that  Gijs  intended  taking  immediate  action. 

She  had  thought  the  matter  over  during  the  night, 
and  decided  not  to  mention  it  again  to  Gijs,  unless 
he  first  approached  her.  She  had  expected  to  see 
him  thoughtful  and  quiet  the  next  morning,  but 
was  surprised  to  find  him  cheerful  and  in  a  gay 
mood,  whistHng  some  of  his  favourite  tunes  as  he 
attended  to  his  work  on  the  homestead.  Even  at 
breakfast  he  chatted  more  than  usual  about  certain 
improvements  he  intended  making  on  the  farm. 

When  Wijnand  arrived  he  found  him  in  the  same 


GIJS    PROPOSES  i8i 

high  spirits,  so  that  he  exclaimed  on  meeting 
him  : — 

"  Hello !  What's  up  with  you !  Anything 
exciting  in  the  wind  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  things  are  very  dull,  and  unless 
some  excitement  comes  along,  we  shall  die  of  the 
blues." 

Since  Gijs  understood  that  his  mother  approved 
of  his  intention  to  get  married,  and  above  all,  when 
he  realised  that  no  letters  need  be  written  to  Nettie, 
he  became  cheerful  and  buoyant.  He  disliked 
writing  very  much  and  the  simplest  note  was  quite 
beyond  his  literary  attainments.  Ever  since  his 
compact  with  Wijnand  the  thought  of  the  letter 
had  rested  like  a  burden,  and  caused  him  many 
a  sleepless  night.  Also  he  knew  that  sooner  or 
later  he  would  have  to  tell  his  mother  about  it,  an 
event  that  he  looked  forward  to  as  another  unnerving 
ordeal  to  pass  through. 

Both  difficulties  having  been  unexpectedly  over- 
come, it  was  small  wonder  that  he  felt  elated  and 
happy,  and  almost  fancied  he  saw  a  successful 
issue  to  his  hopes  in  the  near  future. 

Gijs  conducted  Wijnand  to  a  favourite  spot  of 
theirs,  in  the  garden,  where  a  rough  seat  had  been 
constructed  under  the  trees,  and  there  he  explained 
the  situation. 

"  After  all,"  he  said,  "  whether  we  write  letters, 
or  each  plead  his  own  case,  one  of  us  is  bound  to 
be  rejected,  and  we  must  agree  that  our  friendship 
will  not  suffer  in  consequence." 

Wijnand  eagerly  listened  to  every  word  that  he 
said,  and  turning  to  his  chum  silently  grasped  him 


i82  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

by  the  hand.  It  was  easy  to  acquiesce  in  this 
proposal,  for  each  hoped  that  it  would  be  the  other 
upon  whom  the  strain  of  the  test  would  fall. 

Wijnand  was  equally  pleased  to  leave  the  letters 
out  of  the  question,  for  he  feared  that,  if  Nettie 
were  given  time  to  consider  the  matter  calmly,  she 
would  be  bound  to  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
Gijs  had  the  better  claim,  on  account  of  his  brighter 
material  prospects,  whereas  he  had  hopes  that  by 
a  personal  proposal  he  would  be  able  to  persuade 
her  to  his  own  way  of  thinking. 

"  So  it  is  understood  that  from  to-day  we  are  free 
to  follow  our  own  devices  in  fighting  the  battle  of 
love,  provided  that  we  do  so  in  a  spirit  of  fair  and 
open  competition,"  said  Wijnand.  "  I  think  it  is 
the  most  sensible  way,  only  we  must  try  not  to  clash 
in  our  visits." 

When  the  understanding  was  arrived  at,  both 
dropped  the  subject  as  completely  as  though  it 
had  never  been  mentioned  at  all,  but  their  conversa- 
tion lagged  on  other  topics,  and  there  was  an  absence 
of  their  usual  outbursts  of  laughter,  indicating  that 
each  was  already  formulating  his  plan  of  action. 

Wijnand  left  earlier  than  usual,  and  it  was  a  relief 
to  each  to  be  alone  with  his  thoughts. 

It  was  some  considerable  time  since  Nettie  had 
seen  Gijs,  and  she  was  secretly  wondering  at  the 
long  intervals  between  his  calls,  but  in  conversation 
with  her  father  she  learned  that  he  was  continually 
being  sent  for  by  other  farmers  to  join  in  some 
Bushman  hunt  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  being 
alone  on  the  farm,  his  time  was  fully  occupied. 

Wijnand  she  saw  more  often,  as  he  came  from  time 


GIJS    PROPOSES  183 

to  time  on  the  pretext  of  seeing  her  father,  or  in 
regard  to  matters  connected  with  the  farm. 

These  visits  generally  ended  in  an  interview  with 
Nettie,  and  although  she  could  not  help  seeing 
that  he  was  deeply  in  love  with  her,  he  never  once 
referred  to  it,  which  puzzled  her  greatly.  Perhaps 
he  was  waiting  for  some  sign  of  encouragement  from 
her,  but  she  was  still  undecided  in  her  feeUngs. 
Often  when  alone  with  her  thoughts,  she  would 
ponder  deeply  over  the  matter,  and  compare  Wij- 
nand  and  Gijs,  but  these  comparisons  always  left 
her  in  the  same  unsettled  frame  of  mind. 

•"  Would  that  I  were  a  fairy  to  make  one  man  out 
of  two,"  she  said  to  herself.  "  I  would  take  the  best 
of  each,  and  make  a  perfect  man,  and,  when  the 
compound  was  completed,  would  decline  his  advance 
with  thanks,  as  I  do  not  feel  exactly  fitted  to  mate 
with  an  angel.  After  all,  a  little  pinch  of  a  devil 
gives  a  flavour  to  the  mixture." 

However  hard  she  tried  to  be  serious  in  making  up 
her  mind,  she  always  saw  the  humorous  side  of 
the  situation,  and  invariably  ended  up  with  a 
laugh. 

Wijnand's  handsome  face,  curly  hair  and  manly 
figure  appealed  to  her,  and  quite  echpsed  Gijs's 
personal  attractions ;  he  was  more  companionable 
and  sociable  too,  whereas  Gijs  was  always  quiet 
and  thoughtful.  On  the  other  hand,  the  latter  was 
a  far  stronger  man,  one  who  forced  respect,  and 
carried  all  before  him  ;  one  to  whom,  not  only 
women,  but  all  men  must  look  up.  He  was  her  ideal 
of  a  man,  the  other  of  a  lover. 

Such  was  Nettie's  state  of  mind  when  one  Sunday 


i84  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

afternoon  Gijs  turned  up  at  Kopje  Aleen,  riding 
Prince,  well  groomed  and  showing  off  to  advantage. 

Du  Plessis,  who  saw  him  coming,  welcomed  him 
warmly  on  his  dismounting.  Nettie  also  came  on 
to  the  stoep  to  greet  him.  "  I  am  sure  Tante  Let 
sent  you  to  ask  how  we  all  are,  otherwise  one  never 
sees  you." 

"  No,"  replied  Gijs,  "  this  time  my  own  impulse 
has  brought  me  to  you." 

"  Indeed  !  Then  your  mammie  does  not  know 
that  you  are  out  ?  "  Nettie  laughed  merrily,  while 
a  soft  blush  suffused  her  face. 

"  Mothers  generally  know  most  things,"  returned 
Gijs,  laughing  as  well.  "It  is  rather  embarrassing 
at  times." 

"  Especially  when  the  suspect  is  forced  to  the 
maternal  confessional." 

"  And  has  to  repeat  what  was  only  intended  for 
the  ears  of  his  accessory." 

The  blush  deepened  on  Nettie's  face,  for  the  hint 
was  very  pointed,  and  Gijs  was  also  becoming 
embarrassed.  She  led  the  way  into  the  house, 
where  they  were  soon  joined  by  the  rest  of  the  family, 
and  the  conversation  lapsed  into  the  commonplace. 

Both  Du  Plessis  and  his  wife  were  very  attentive 
to  Gijs,  showing  him  as  plainly  as  they  could  that 
he  was  a  welcome  visitor,  and  consequently  the 
evening  passed  pleasantly  in  discussing  general 
topics,  until  it  became  time  for  the  household  to 
retire  to  bed,  when,  without  the  least  ceremony  or 
excuse,  Du  Plessis  and  his  wife  bade  Gijs  good-night, 
and  disappeared  from  the  scene,  leaving  him  alone 
with  Nettie. 


GIJS   PROPOSES  185 

The  Boer  youth's  idea  of  love-making  is  expressed 
in  the  term  "  Sitting  up,"  which  is  a  national 
institution. 

Should  a  young  man  wish  to  make  advances  to 
a  young  woman,  he  asks  her  to  sit  up  with  him,  and 
if  she  wishes  to  encourage  him,  she  consents  ;  but 
should  she  be  averse,  she  refuses,  in  which  case  he 
takes  his  departure  early,  and  does  not  press  his 
suit  further. 

Sometimes  the  girl  makes  the  first  advance,  by 
asking  the  suitor  to  stay  to  supper,  which  includes 
an  invitation  for  the  subsequent  sitting  up. 

After  supper  it  is  usual  for  the  household  to 
have  divine  service,  and  as  soon  as  it  is  concluded 
the  younger  children  are  bundled  off  to  bed,  to  be 
shortly  afterwards  followed  by  the  parents,  with 
perhaps  a  whispered  warning  from  the  mother  to 
the  daughter  not  to  stay  up  too  late. 

When  once  the  field  is  clear,  there  is  no  fear  of 
intrusion  by  any  member  of  the  family,  and  the 
couple  edge  close  to  each  other  by  way  of  intro- 
ductory overture. 

Generally  such  sittings  last  until  very  late  at 
night,  as  it  is  considered  uncomplimentary  to  the 
girl  should  the  young  man  leave  her  presence  too 
soon.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  lovers,  over- 
come by  their  vigil,  fall  asleep  in  their  chairs,  to  be 
aroused  the  following  morning  by  servants  coming 
to  make  the  early  coffee,  and  the  unfortunate  couple 
are  then  so  mercilessly  chaffed,  that  nothing  will 
induce  either  of  them  ever  again  to  sit  up  with 
each  other. 

A  chaperon   is  an   unknown   quantity   in    Boer 


i86  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

society,  and  it  speaks  highly  for  the  Boer  character 
that  there  are  so  few  lapses  from  virtue  and  chastity 
in  the  ranks  of  their  youth. 

When,  therefore,  Gijs  found  himself  alone  with 
Nettie  for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  there  was  nothing 
uncommon  or  embarrassing  in  the  situation;  still, 
when  he  thought  of  the  object  of  his  visit,  he  felt 
his  courage  sinking  down  to  zero,  and  could  with 
difficulty  prevent  himself  from  stammering  when 
speaking. 

He  struggled  with  himself,  and  determined  to  be 
neither  a  fool  nor  a  coward,  only  to  discover  that 
the  hardest  battle  any  human  being  can  ever  be 
called  upon  to  fight  in  this  life  is  to  overcome  some 
inborn  trait  in  one's  character. 

Nettie  was  not  slow  to  notice  the  change  coming 
over  Gijs,  and  endeavoured  to  keep  the  conversation 
in  a  bright  and  humorous  strain,  so  as  to  draw  him 
away  from  the  serious  thoughts  she  felt  were 
struggling  for  utterance,  and  although  she  succeeded 
for  a  time,  Gijs  had  made  up  his  mind  to  speak  out. 

When  at  last  he  had  sufficiently  overcome  his 
nervousness,  he  edged  up  boldly  to  her  side  and 
said  : — 

"  Nettie,  I  wish  to  tell  you  to-night  what  is  in 
my  heart.     I  have  specially  come  over  for  that." 

Although  her  own  heart  beat  faster,  Nettie  pre- 
tended not  to  understand  his  meaning. 

"  What  a  relief  that  you  are  at  last  going  to  do 
some  talking.  I  am  tired  of  hearing  myself.  Is  it 
some  exciting  incident  from  your  eventful  life  ?  " 
and  she  gave  a  merry  laugh. 

"  It  is  the  most  serious  one  of  my  hfe,"  Gijs 


GIJS    PROPOSES  187 

replied  simply.  "  You  know  that  I  love  you,  and 
I  have  come  to  ask  you  to  be  my  wife." 

Nettie  knew  that  it  was  coming — had  known  it  for 
months  past — and  yet,  now  that  the  great  question 
was  put  to  her,  she  found  herself  without  a  reply. 

Gijs  had  risen  from  his  seat  and  was  standing 
before  her,  looking  straight  down  into  her  eyes  for 
an  answer.  He  had  conquered  himself  completely, 
and,  instead  of  stammering  and  blushing,  he  was  now 
calm  and  collected. 

Nettie  had  often  wondered  how  he  would  behave 
at  this  critical  moment,  and  had  found  some  amuse- 
ment in  thinking  how  ridiculous  he  would  make 
himself,  but  she  had  never  until  now  seen  the  Gijs 
whom  his  friends  called  David. 

He  stood  revealed  to  her,  and  she  felt  unnerved 
for  the  moment.  A  feehng  of  deep  respect  took 
possession  of  her,  filling  her  with  confidence  in  his 
strength,  and  drawing  her  with  an  almost  irresistible 
force  to  him.  Deep  down  in  her  soul  a  new  power 
seemed  to  spring  into  life,  overwhelming  her  with 
an  unknown  thrill,  and  she  was  just  about  to  give 
way  to  its  compelling  sweetness,  when  Gijs,  httle 
dreaming  what  emotion  he  had  called  up,  and 
misconstruing  her  silence,  said  : 

"  Perhaps  it  will  be  better  for  you  to  think  the 
matter  over  calmly  by  yourself  before  you  answer 
me." 

Alas,  for  human  hmitations  !  Had  he  known 
that  the  fortress  was  won,  that  the  pyschological 
moment  had  arrived,  that  he  need  but  have  opened 
his  arms,  and  said  "  Come,"  he  would  have  pressed 
forward  another  step  and  entered  into  paradise. 


i88  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

His  last  sentence,  however,  had  the  effect  of  dis- 
pelUng  the  mist  from  her  eyes  and  releasing  her 
from  the  momentary  spell  that  was  cast  over  her. 

"  Yes,  it  would  be  better  for  me  to  consider  it 
first,"  she  rephed,  "  for  although  I  like  you  very 
much  I  cannot  honestly  say  that  my  mind  is  settled, 
as  regards  marriage  ;  and  besides,  it  would  be  as 
well  for  you  to  wait  for  a  time  to  make  sure  your 
feelings  do  not  change  towards  me." 

"  My  feelings  change  towards  you  !  "  Gijs  smiled 
that  peculiar  convincing  smile  which  generally  is 
the  only  answer  of  a  strong  mind  to  a  doubt  cast 
upon  a  statement,  the  truth  of  which  should  be 
beyond  question. 

"  I  have  already  put  myself  to  the  test,  Nettie, 
for  it  was  not  yesterday  that  I  discovered  my  love 
for  you.  I  have  known  it  for  a  long  time,  and  as 
time  went  on,  the  passion  grew  stronger  and  stronger, 
until  now  you  have  become  necessary  to  my  very 
existence.  If  you  will  share  my  life  I  will  do  every- 
thing in  my  power  to  make  you  happy." 

"  And  make  a  spoilt  woman  of  me,"  said  Nettie 
laughing.  She  had  recovered  herself,  but  her  face 
was  still  suffused  with  blushes. 

"As  if  any  one  could  ever  spoil  you  !  "  retorted 
Gijs. 

"  Oh,  please  don't  imagine  me  an  angel.  I  do 
so  love  to  be  only  a  woman  sometimes,  as  you  may 
soon  find  out." 

"  May  I  ?  "  asked  Gijs  wistfully,  misconstruing 
her  meaning,  and,  before  Nettie  knew  it,  he  had 
stooped  down  and  kissed  her  on  the  mouth. 

The  action  was  so  sudden,  so  unexpected  from 


GIJS    PROPOSES  189 

the  otherwise  timid  Gijs,  that  Nettie  was  completely 
taken  by  surprise  and  exclaimed. 

"  How  dare  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  please  forgive  me  !  I  do  so  love  to  be  only 
a  man  sometimes." 

Nettie  made  no  reply.  She  felt  confused  and 
bewildered  at  this  new  development  in  Gijs.  To 
her  he  was  always  a  shy  youth,  such  as  girls  love  to 
fool  and  play  pranks  on,  but  now  she  saw  him  in  a 
different  light,  and  instinctively  felt  that  he  was 
more  than  her  match. 

"  When  may  I  come  for  your  answer,  Nettie  ? 
Don't  keep  me  long,  it  will  be  torture  to  wait." 

"  You  can  get  my  answer  now,  Gijs.  Why 
should  I  keep  you  waiting  ?     I  cannot  marry  you." 

"  Am  I  allowed  to  know  what  obstacle  is  in  the 
way  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do  not  love  you  sufficiently." 

She  had  become  very  serious,  and  there  was  just 
a  suspicion  of  tremulousness  in  her  voice.  Try  as 
she  would,  she  could  not  look  him  in  the  face,  but 
began  fidgetting  with  her  hands. 

"  I  never  thought  you  did,"  replied  Gijs  calmly. 
"  I  am  only  too  well  aware  of  the  fact  that  I  am 
not  blessed  by  nature  with  those  attractions  that 
are  pleasing  to  women,  but  if  you  only  knew  how 
intensely  I  love  you,  and  how  my  whole  happiness 
depends  on  you,  I  am  sure  that  you  would  at  least 
tolerate  my  companionship,  for  I  should  endeavour 
to  make  you  a  good  husband." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that  in  the  least ;  in  fact,  you 
are  far  too  good  for  me,  but  I  really  cannot." 

"  Do  you  love  any  one  else  ?  "     His  voice  grew 


igo  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

strangely  husky,  so  much  so  that  she  looked  up 
suddenly,  alarmed.  She  met  his  pleading  eyes 
fully,  and  felt  almost  hypnotised  by  the  intensity  of 
the  yearning  they  expressed. 

"  No,  Gijs.  I  am  heart  free,  and  may  in  time 
learn  to  love  you  as  well  as  any  one  else,  but  until 
I  do  I  shall  never  marry,  for  the  greatest  dread  of 
my  life  is  that  I  might  marry  and  afterwards 
repent  of  it.  If  I  do  not  love  the  man  I  marry,  I 
might  afterwards  fall  in  love  with  another,  and  the 
position  would  be  too  painful  to  contemplate." 

A  sigh  of  relief  escaped  from  Gijs,  and  his  eyes 
softened,  as  he  bent  down  and  took  her  hand  in  his, 
which  she  allowed  him  to  do.  When  he  spoke 
again  his  voice  was  steady,  but  subdued, 

"  I  have  said  that  I  love  you  as  my  life.  I  shall 
wait  patiently,  even  if  I  have  to  wait  for  years,  but 
I  shall  never  give  up  hope — until  I  see  you  married 
to  some  one  else." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that,"  replied  Nettie, 
still  with  her  hand  in  his,  "for  I  esteem  you  very 
highly,  and  that  is  the  more  reason  why  I  cannot 
marry  you  unless  I  love  you  whole-heartedly.  To 
do  otherwise  would  be  to  do  you  an  injustice." 

Then  she  withdrew  her  hand  from  his  and  adroitly 
turned  the  conversation  into  other  channels,  so  that 
Gijs  soon  relapsed  into  his  usual  retiring  ways  and 
monosyllabic  method  of  speech. 

Nettie,  however,  seemed  to  grow  brighter,  and 
kept  up  a  stream  of  bright  cheerful  talk,  fearing 
that  Gijs  might  refer  to  the  subject  again,  for  she 
could  plainly  see  that  he  did  not  take  her  refusal  as 
final. 


GIJS    PROPOSES  191 

This  was  to  be  expected  at  a  time  when  custom 
laid  it  down  that  it  was  highly  immodest  for  any  girl 
to  accept  a  man  at  once.  Every  right  feeling  and 
properly  balanced  feminine  must  temporize.  How 
else  could  she  put  her  lover's  sincerity  to  the  proof  ? 

As  Gijs  rode  home  that  night  he  was  as  cheerful 
as  his  nature  permitted,  for  he  had  every  reason  to 
hope  for  ultimate  success.  He  knew  that  he  could 
not  be  accepted  at  once,  and  was  quite  prepared 
to  provide  undisputed  proofs  of  his  great  love ;  in 
fact  he  entered  into  his  period  of  probation  with 
delight,  deciding  to  press  his  suit  frequently  in  order 
that  his  day  of  happiness  might  come  the  sooner. 

Nettie,  on  the  other  hand,  took  things  very 
seriously,  when  she  found  herself  alone.  It  was  the 
first  time  a  man,  in  real  earnest,  had  proposed 
marriage  to  her,  and  it  was  so  different  from  what 
she  had  always  imagined  it  would  be. 

She  had  been  told  by  girl  friends,  who  had  passed 
through  the  experience,  that  men  when  proposing 
became  flustered,  behaved  idiotically,  and  were 
humorously  excessive  in  their  declarations  of  love, 
as  they  used  every  persuasive  argument  in  order  to  be 
accepted. 

She  had  looked  forward  to  some  secret  fun  when 
a  similar  experience  befell  her,  and  lo,  Gijs  had 
turned  the  tables.  He  had  become  so  unaccount- 
ably calm  and  strong,  and  exercised  so  curiously 
compelling  an  influence  over  her.  Her  very  soul 
responded,  and  something  beyond  herself  urged  her 
to  say  "  yes." 

Was  it  the  birth  of  love,  or  some  strange  passion 
she  could  not  analyse  ? 


CHAPTER    XIII 

witte's  good  resolutions 

TUKIE  had  just  opened  his  store,  and  ordered 
the  shop-boy  to  sweep  and  clean  out — an 
extremely  necessary  process  in  the  dust- 
swept  village  of  Victoria  West — when 
Andries  Witte  drove  up,  and  steered  straight  into 
the  shop-yard,  as  was  his  custom.  Tukie  imme- 
diately began  shouting  orders  to  his  boys  to  attend 
to  the  horses  and  went  forward  to  give  his  customer 
a  fitting  welcome. 

"  Really,  I  have  not  seen  you  for  an  age,  Mr. 
Witte,  and  wondered  what  had  become  of  you." 
He  shook  Witte's  hand  in  a  manner  as  though  it 
were  a  real  delight  to  see  him  again. 

"  Leave  the  boys  to  attend  to  your  horses,  and 
go  into  your  room,  while  I  fetch  a  nice  warm  cup  of 
coffee,  or,  if  you  prefer  an  eye-opener  instead,  I 
will  bring  that.     What  you  think  ?  " 

Witte  understood  the  nature  of  an  "  eye-opener," 
and  said  he  preferred  it  to  the  cup  of  coffee,  where- 
upon Tukie  vanished  round  the  corner  to  reappear 
again,  carrying  a  glass  of  milk  and  brandy,  which 
Witte  gulped  down  with  undisguised  enjoyment. 

It  has  been  a  matter  of  surprise  to  many  that 
the  Jew  is  always  so  successful  and  prosperous  in 

192 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       193 

South  Africa.  Given  two  stores  of  equal  importance 
in  any  town,  one  of  which  belongs  to  and  is  managed 
by  a  Jew,  it  will  be  found  that  this  store  receives 
far  more  support  than  the  other. 

The  Dutch  Boer  cannot  resist  dealing  with  a  Jew, 
however  much  to  his  disadvantage  it  may  some- 
times prove  to  be.  To-day  he  will  denounce  all 
the  ten  tribes  as  the  greatest  thieves  and  swindlers 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  but  to-morrow  he  will 
unconcernedly  pass  by  the  store  of  his  fellow- 
countryman  to  go  to  that  of  the  Jew  further  down 
the  street. 

The  reason  is  not  difficult  to  explain.  The 
average  Jew  is  a  natural  student  of  human  nature, 
and  knows  instinctively  the  weakness  of  each 
customer.  This  he  instinctively  pampers,  and  in 
such  a  way  as  to  make  the  customer  feel  that  he  is 
the  recipient  of  the  storekeeper's  favours. 

Flattery  and  servility  come  as  natural  to  the  Jew 
trader  as  swimming  to  a  duck,  and  as  the  average 
Boer,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  mankind,  is  very 
susceptible  to  flattery,  it  is  small  wonder  that  the 
Jewish  shop  should  receive  a  larger  proportion  of 
attention  and  patronage  than  its  competitor  over 
the  way. 

Tukie  had  many  unflattering  epithets  bestowed 
upon  him  by  the  pubhc.  "  That  fool  Tukie,"  "  That 
idiotic  Hebrew,"  "  That  silly  httle  Jew."  Even 
children  sometimes  addressed  him  in  a  disrespectful 
manner,  but,  with  all  that,  no  one  had  ever  seen 
Tukie  angry  or  heard  a  hasty  retort  from  him. 

The  wonder  was  how  he  could  bear  all  the  chaff 
and    insults    from   his    various  customers.     Tukie 


194  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

never  complained,  he  only  grinned,  but  sometimes 
when  making  out  accounts  in  his  little  back  office 
at  night,  he  became  so  agitated  at  the  recollection 
of  a  sHght  from  the  customer  whose  account  he  was 
then  handling,  that  all  power  of  correct  calculation 
left  him  for  the  time,  and  unless  the  customer  de- 
tected the  error,  Tukie,  who  would  never  think  of 
revising  the  bill,  got  a  bit  of  his  own  back. 

"  Well,  Tukie,  what  news  is  there  in  town  ?  " 
Witte  felt  cheered  by  the  brandy  and  milk,  and 
tried  to  be  nice  to  Tukie  in  return. 

"  No  particular  news,  Mr.  Witte,  except  that 
every  now  and  then  we  hear  of  some  Bushmen  being 
shot,"  replied  Tukie. 

"  I  wish  they  would  shoot  every  one  of  them 
within  a  week,"  said  Witte  vehemently.  "  The 
sooner  we  purge  the  country  of  them,  the  sooner 
we  shall  be  able  to  live  in  peace." 

"  Well,  at  the  rate  they  are  now  being  killed,  we 
shall  soon  be  free  from  them,  unless  the  Government 
put  a  stop  to  it.  What  you  think  ?  Yesterday  an 
official  passed  here  on  his  way  to  Sterkfontein  to 
make  full  investigation  into  the  circumstances 
connected  with  the  murder  of  the  two  boys." 

"  Really ! "  exclaimed  Witte,  turning  a  shade 
paler,  "  and  what  is  he  supposed  to  discover  ?  " 

"  How  can  you  ask  of  me,  Mr.  Witte  ?  There  is 
a  rumour  that  the  murderers  were  led  by  a  Hottentot 
on  horseback,  and  I  believe  there  is  some  suspicion 
as  to  where  this  Hottentot  can  be  found.  Won't 
that  be  good  ?     What  you  think  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  Tukie ;  I  shall  be  glad  if  they  can  bring 
the  murderers  to  justice." 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS        195 

"  How  can  they  bring  the  murderers  to  justice 
when  they  are  all  dead  ?  Don't  you  remember  that 
Brandt  and  his  party  shot  them  all !  "  exclaimed 
Tukie,  in  surprise. 

"  Then  what  do  the  Government  want  to  investi- 
gate the  matter  for  ?  "  asked  Witte. 

"  To  try  to  bring  to  justice  any  one  they  can  lay 
their  hands  on,  especially  the  mysterious  Hottentot, 
who  may  be  a  tool  of  some  one  else.  Wliat  you 
think  ?  " 

At  that  moment  a  young  Hottentot  on  horseback 
rode  into  Tukie' s  yard.  He  had  ridden  hard,  for  the 
horse  was  wet  with  perspiration,  and  panting  for 
breath.  The  boy  jumped  off  and  hfted  his  hat  to 
the  white  men,  who  both  knew  him  as  the  coachman 
of  old  Koos  Hough. 

"  Morning,  Baas  Tukie.  I  shall  be  glad  to  get 
forage  and  stabling  for  the  horse."  Then,  seeing 
the  questioning  look  on  Tukie' s  face,  he  proceeded, 
"  I  rode  very  hard  this  morning  to  catch  the  post 
cart  for  Beaufort  West.  The  Ou  Baas  died  suddenly 
last  night,  and  I  had  to  post  the  letters  to  the  children 
before  the  cart  left." 

"  What !  Ou  Baas  Koos  Hough  dead !  "  exclaimed 
Tukie,  his  little  round  eyes  dilating  with  genuine 
surprise. 

"  Yes,  Baas  Tukie.  The  Ou  Baas  complained  of 
a  pain  in  his  chest  for  the  last  few  days,  but  no  one 
thought  seriously  of  it.  Yesterday  afternoon  it 
suddenly  grew  worse,  and  during  the  night  the  Ou 
Baas  died." 

"  I  suppose  the  funeral  will  take  place  this 
afternoon  ?  "  asked  Tukie. 


ig6  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  No,  Baas,  it  will  be  to-morrow  afternoon,  so  as 
to  give  the  children  time  to  be  there.  I  have  also 
brought  a  letter  for  Mr.  Robart,  the  lawyer,  to  come 
out,  so  that  the  Ou  Baas' s  will  can  be  read  after  the 
funeral." 

Within  half  an  hour  the  news  had  spread  through 
the  little  village,  for  Koos  Hough  was  the  richest 
man  in  the  whole  Karroo,  and  everybody  was  soon 
speculating  as  to  the  net  amount  his  estate  would 
realize. 

There  were  many  descendants  to  share  in  the 
estate,  but  it  was  generally  understood  that  each  one 
would  inherit  sufficient  to  be  practically  independent 
for  life. 

The  news  gave  Witte  food  for  reflection.  He 
locked  himself  in  his  room,  and  remained  there  the 
greater  part  of  the  morning  in  solitary  meditation. 

His  late  wife  was  a  daughter  of  old  Koos  Hough, 
and  there  were  tv/o  children  of  the  marriage,  who 
undoubtedly  would  inherit  their  mother's  share. 

During  old  Koos  Hough's  hfetime,  he  had  kept 
and  maintained  the  children,  but  now  that  he  was 
dead,  the  children  would  have  to  come  back  to 
their  father,  who  would  be  their  natural  guardian. 

Although  Witte  never  manifested  any  paternal 
interest  in  his  children,  he  felt  now  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  protect  their  interests,  especially  as  a  sub- 
stantial income  was  to  be  derived  from  the  invest- 
ment of  their  share  in  the  estate,  and,  as  the  children 
were  still  very  young,  he  would  naturally  have  the 
handling  and  management  of  their  money  for  many 
years  to  come. 

With  this  end  in  view  he  went  into  Tukie's  shop, 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       197 

and  with  many  expressions  of  sadness  and  regret 
at  the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  he  proceeded  to 
purchase  a  quantity  of  black  crape  and  a  ready- 
made  black  suit,  to  enable  him  to  appear  in  due 
solemnity  at  the  funeral. 

"  I  feel,  Tukie,  that  I  must  pay  him  the  last  tribute 
of  respect,  for  whatever  misunderstanding  there 
might  have  been  between  us,  he  was  nevertheless 
my  late  wife's  father,  and  although  he  was  the  cause 
of  the  separation  between  us,  I  feel  sure  that  he 
thought  he  was  doing  right." 

"  Quite  so,  Mr.  Witte.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the 
old  man  did  what  was  right,  for  he  loved  his  children 
very  much.     What  you  think  ?  " 

Tukie,  whose  back  was  turned  to  Witte,  in  an 
attempt  to  get  some  suits  from  the  shelves,  winked  at 
one  of  the  clerks  who  was  assisting  him. 

"  What  he  did  was  not  right,  Tukie,"  Witte 
answered  with  some  heat,  "  but  one  must  be  lenient 
with  parents,  and  it  is  just  because  he  loved  his 
children,  and  did  everything  in  his  power  for 
them  that  I  can  forgive  the  injustice  I  have 
suffered." 

"  And,  besides,  if  one  considers  what  the  children 
and  grandchildren  are  going  to  inherit,  it  becomes 
much  easier  to  forgive.  What  you  think  !  "  Tukie 
replied,  with  a  serious  face. 

"  You  darned  Jews  are  always  thinking  of  money," 
retorted  Witte  vehemently,  "  and  you  esteem  a 
man  only  in  proportion  to  his  purse.  It  is  dis- 
graceful." 

"  No  offence  meant,  Mr.  Witte,  no  offence," 
hurriedly    interposed    the    little    salesman,    "  but, 


198    THE    BREATH    OF    THE    KARROO 

personally,  I  could  sooner  forgive  a  relative  who  left 
me  something  than  I  could  a  poor  one." 

The  inoffensive  Tukie  was  a  past  master  in  the 
art  of  dissimulation,  and  consequently  very  quick 
to  detect  hypocrisy  in  others.  Witte  was  only  half 
satisfied  with  Tukie's  apology,  for  he  felt  that  the 
Jew  had  not  only  read  him  correctly,  but  was 
fooling  him  to  his  face.  He,  therefore,  contented 
himself  by  venting  his  anger  in  terms  of  strong  abuse 
against  the  whole  Jewish  tribe,  denouncing  them  all 
as  thieves  and  vagabonds. 

In  the  meantime  Tukie,  "  with  a  smile  that  was 
childhke  and  bland,"  managed  to  sell  him  a  complete 
outfit  for  the  funeral,  and  when  at  last  Witte 
declared  that,  although  he  had  money  with  him,  he 
was  not  going  to  pay  cash  for  his  purchases,  but 
wanted  the  goods  entered,  Tukie's  smile  broadened 
into  a  grin — that  peculiar  grin  which  generally 
settles  on  the  face  of  one  who  knows  that  he  has  the 
best  of  the  bargain,  in  spite  of  his  opponent's 
temporary  advantage. 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Witte,  the  whole  store  is  at  your 
command.  Take  what  you  require,  and  I  shall 
only  be  too  pleased  to  enter  everything  for  you. 
What  you  think  ?  " 

Thus  flattered,  Witte  sauntered  out  of  the  shop  to 
to  his  room,  muttering  incoherently  to  himself 
about  the  dishonesty  of  the  Jews  in  general,  and 
that  the  best  way  to  deal  with  them  was  to  cow 
them  into  a  sense  of  their  own  insignificance. 

He  opened  the  door  of  his  room,  and  was  about 
to  enter  when,  suddenly,  he  stood  still,  and  uttered 
an  exclamation  of  surprise,  for  there,  sitting  on  his 


WITTE'S   GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       199 

chair,  was  the  identical  stranger  with  the  grey  eyes 
and  high-bridged  nose,  whom  he  had  previously 
met  in  the  same  room. 

"  Come  in  and  close  the  door."  The  man  spoke 
in  a  commanding  tone  which  seemed  to  irritate 
Witte,  yet  the  door  was  instantly  closed,  and  the 
key  turned  in  the  lock. 

"  A  fine  mess  you  have  made  of  things,"  said  the 
stranger,  with  something  like  a  snarl. 

Witte  made  no  immediate  reply,  but  seated 
himself  leisurely  on  the  bed,  as  there  was  only  one 
chair  in  the  room.  He  was  not  in  the  mood  that 
morning  to  play  lamb  to  any  one's  wolf,  and  he  of 
the  high-bridged  nose  was  by  no  means  slow  in 
observing  it,  Witte  looked  straight  into  the  grey 
eyes  and  said  :  "  It  is  a  custom  with  me,  on  meeting 
any  one,  to  bid  him  the  time  of  day,  and  if  I  have 
any  grievance,  to  enquire  into  circumstances  before 
I  condemn." 

"  With  me  it  is  customary  not  to  hide  my  feelings 
under  a  semblance  of  civility,  nor  to  waste  time  in 
enquiring  into  circumstances  that  are  well  known 
to  me." 

The  retort  was  given  with  emphasis  on  each  word, 
calculated  to  subdue  the  spirit  of  rebelhon  that  so 
strangely  manifested  itself  in  the  hitherto  phant  tool. 

"  That  saves  a  lot  of  time  in  explanations," 
replied  Witte  unflinchingly.     "  Come  to  the  point." 

"  The  point  is  that  you  have  the  blood  of  inno- 
cents upon  your  hands."  As  he  spoke  slowly,  the 
man  watched  keenly  the  effect  of  this  shot  upon 
his  victim,  but  he  might  have  stared  at  a  marble 
bust  with  equal  success. 


200  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Go  on."     Witte  seemed  calmer  than  ever. 

"  And  through  your  blundering  you  have  placed 
yourself  in  the  power  of  your  servant  and  a  number 
of  Bushmen,  who  may  at  any  moment  turn  upon 
you.  Your  connection  with  the  actual  murder 
may  be  too  remote  for  hanging,  but  what  if  Brandt 
and  Uijs  were  to  trace  the  murder  to  your  door  ?  " 

"  How  ?  " 

"  You  are  not  so  simple  as  you  pretend.  The 
first  Bushman  who  is  caught  will  blurt  out  the  truth, 
or  sufficient  to  put  the  poHce  on  your  track." 

"  And  to  what  am  I  to  ascribe  your  kindness  in 
telling  me  this  ?  " 

"  A  desire  to  protect  you  from  the  consequences." 

"  Thank  you  ;  but  you  might  have  spared  your- 
self the  trouble,  for  I  have  nothing  to  fear." 

Witte' s  exasperating  coolness  and  indifference 
were  becoming  too  much  for  his  opponent,  whose 
temper  became  ruffled  in  proportion  to  his  failure 
in  impressing  upon  his  victim  the  unpleasant 
possibiHties  of  his  position. 

"  You  place  too  much  rehance  upon  natives, 
as  you  may  soon  discover  to  your  cost.  If,  for  the 
sake  of  a  few  pocket  knives,  they  were  ready  to 
shed  the  blood  of  innocent  children,  what  will  they 
not  do  for  a  few  bottles  of  brandy  ?  " 

That  shaft  evidently  found  its  mark,  for  Witte 
visibly  started,  although  he  pulled  himself  together 
at  once,  and  resumed  his  former  attitude  of  callous- 
ness. Where  did  this  man  get  his  information 
from,  and  what  more  did  he  know  ?  Witte,  how- 
ever, was  determined  to  break  with  him  once  and  for 
all,  and  was  not  going  to  show  the  white  feather. 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       201 

But  he  knew  that  he  had  to  be  very  cautious  and 
make  no  blunders. 

There  was  a  slight  pause  in  the  conversation, 
and  Witte  felt  that  his  momentary  weakness 
had  been  duly  observed  and  would  be  taken 
advantage  of, 

"  You  interest  me,  please  go  on." 

There  was  just  the  faintest  tremor  in  Witte's 
voice,  and  it  caused  a  smile  of  victory  to  flit  across 
his  opponent's  face. 

"It  is  interesting,  as  you  remark,  and  I  like  to 
grapple  with  difficult  problems,  especially  when  it 
amounts  to  baffling  the  police  and  saving  a  friend. 
I  will  admit,  if  you  wish  it,  that  in  protecting  you 
I  am  studying  my  own  interest  as  well,  as  I  can  ill 
afford  to  see  you  in  trouble  before  old  scores  are 
settled  up.  Now  that  your  father-in-law  is  dead 
you  will  soon  be  in  funds,  and  can  pay  off  old  debts  ; 
but  it  takes  time  finally  to  hquidate  estates." 

"  I  was  not  aware  of  the  fact  that  any  unsettled 
accounts  existed  between  us,"  said  Witte  in  the 
same  calm  voice  and  looking  straight  at  his  enemy. 

This  time  it  was  the  other's  turn  to  look  dis- 
concerted. Witte's  provoking  coolness  was  irri- 
tating, but  the  absolute  denial  of  his  indebtedness 
was  the  last  straw,  A  dangerous  light  shot  into 
the  grey  eyes.     Witte  knew  the  crisis  was  at  hand. 

"  What !  "  almost  shouted  his  opponent.  "  Do 
you  think  for  one  moment  that  you  can  get  out 
of  paying  me  by  simply  denying  that  you  owe  me 
anything.  Look  here,  Andries  Witte,  I  have  been 
lenient  with  you  for  a  long  time,  but  I  now  give 
you  fair  warning  that  unless  you   pay  me  every 


202  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

penny  due  to  me,  within  the  next  month,  the  pohce 
will  be  in  possession  of  such  information  as  will 
make  you  regret  the  day  that  you  were  born." 

"  Why  let  the  police  wait  ?  Do  it  now.  I  will 
go  with  you  !  "  Witte  rose  and  reached  out  for 
his  hat,  but  the  other  remained  sitting,  completely 
defeated  by  this  unexpected  answer. 

"  Come  along,"  Witte  continued  calmly.  "  There 
is  no  time  like  the  present." 

The  grey  eyes  watched  him  in  impotent  rage, 
for  the  truth  was  revealed  in  a  flash  that  they  had 
lost  their  hypnotic  power  over  their  erstwhile  victim, 
and  that  threats  were  equally  futile  to  compel 
submission  to  their  sway.  Clearly  the  tactics 
must  be  changed, 

"  Sit  down,  Andries,  you  are  mad  and  don't 
know  what  you  are  doing.  I  wish  to  reason  with 
you  for  your  own  benefit." 

The  tone  of  the  speaker's  voice  became  less 
domineering. 

Witte  walked  to  a  little  table  at  his  bedside,  on 
which  stood  a  small  leather  "  hold-all "  which 
he  always  carried  with  him  when  travelling.  He 
opened  it,  took  from  it  an  old-fashioned  pistol  and 
with  the  greatest  deliberation  sat  down. 

"  1  am  so  glad  that  you  are  now  prepared  to 
listen  to  reason,  and  I  wish  you  to  take  heed  of 
what  I  am  going  to  say,  and  not  to  interrupt  me 
until  I  am  finished." 

Witte  did  not  raise  his  voice,  but  the  deadly 
earnestness  of  his  tone  went  home  to  the  other. 

"  I  had  been  a  good,  honest,  hardworking  man 
all  my  life,  until  I  met  you,  and  from  that  moment 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       203 

my  downward  career  commenced.  I  have  wickedly 
allowed  myself  to  be  tempted  by  you,  and  you 
knew  so  well  how  to  play  your  cards  that  you  soon 
had  me  completely  in  your  power. 

"  Within  a  few  years  you  not  only  had  every 
penny  I  possessed,  but  I  was  deeply  in  your  debt, 
and,  although  I  grew  up  an  honest  man,  I  became, 
in  your  hands,  a  criminal,  so  that  I  was  the  helpless 
slave  of  your  wishes,  for  fear  of  being  exposed.  To 
meet  your  demands  for  money,  I  robbed  my  late 
wife,  and  forced  her  to  extort  money  from  her 
father,  until  at  last  her  life  under  my  roof  became 
such  a  misery  that  she  fled  from  me,  only  to  die 
later  on  of  shame  and  a  broken  heart. 

"To  be  brief,  you  have  made  me  live  a  life  of 
villainy,  so  that  now  I  am  the  despised  of  my 
fellow-men,  and  to-day  you  try  to  make  me  out  a 
murderer  as  well. 

"  God  knows  that  I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of 
those  children.  It  was  an  unlooked-for  circum- 
stance against  which  no  provision  could  be  made, 

but — but "     Witte   paused   slightly,   overcome 

by  emotion,  and  wiped  his  forehead  on  which  beads 
of  perspiration  were  beginning  to  gather,  "  — I  am 
guilty  of  my  wife's  death." 

As  he  uttered  these  words  his  face  turned  white, 
his  hps  quivered,  and  he  had  again  to  pause  to 
recover  his  self-possession. 

Once  or  twice  his  listener  made  an  effort  to 
interrupt  him,  but  was  silenced  by  a  motion  of 
the  hand. 

After  a  while  he  continued  in  a  slightly  husky 
voice.    "  No  one  knows  the  hell  through  which 


204  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

I  have  lived  during  the  last  few  years,  except  God 
and  my  wife,  whose  face  haunts  me  in  my  dreams 
every  night ;  and  if  dreams  are  true,  then  she 
knows  my  suffering  and  has  forgiven  me. 

"  Of  all  this  misery  and  crime  that  have  come 
into  my  life,  you,  and  you  alone,  are  the  cause. 
You  have  forced  me  to  lie  and  deceive  for  the  sake 
of  money,  and  yet  I  always  found  myself  getting 
deeper  and  deeper  into  your  clutches,  until  at  last 
I  was  in  fear  of  my  very  life  from  you.  You  have 
hidden  your  identity  and  whereabouts  from  me, 
but  that  did  not  matter,  for  I  have  long  since  dis- 
covered both. 

"  The  amount  due  by  me  to  you  I  repudiate  as 
gambling  debts,  which  you  cannot  legally  claim, 
and  any  effort  on  your  part  to  harry  me  for  it  will 
meet  with  immediate  and  sure  punishment. 

"  You  have  threatened  me  with  the  police,  but 
I  can  assure  you  that  I  am  now  driven  to  such  an 
extremity  that  I  have  no  fear  of  the  law.  And, 
be  further  assured,  that  should  I  ever  be  made 
to  face  a  judge,  you  will  stand  next  to  me  in 
the  dock.  There  is,  however,  another  and  more 
convincing  reason  why  I  do  not  fear  prosecution, 
and  I  wish  you  to  hsten  carefully  to  what  I  am 
going  to  say.  You  have  heard  the  saying  that 
there  comes  a  time  when  even  a  worm  will  turn. 
Well,  the  worm  has  turned  completely  now.  From 
this  day  forth  every  connection  between  us  must 
be  broken,  and  all  intercourse  must  cease.  You 
have  accused  me  of  having  blood  on  my  hands. 
Let  that  be.  But  I  now  tell  you  that  if,  after  this 
day,  you  in  any  way,  either  yourself  or  by  your  agent, 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       205 

interfere  with  me  directly  or  indirectly,  or  in  any 
way  molest,  or  speak  to  me,  I  will  then  and  there 
shoot  you  like  the  cur  you  are,  and  nothing  shall 
stop  me  from  steeping  my  hands  in  your  blood, 
unless  you  shoot  me  first. 

"  I  have  now  spoken  my  mind,  and  have  only 
to  add  that  I  have  nothing  to  listen  to  from  you, 
and  that  unless  you  vanish  from  my  sight  within 
the  next  ten  minutes,  this  sleepy  little  village  will 
be  convulsed  with  the  startling  news  of  a  murder." 

Throughout  his  long  speech,  Witte  never  once 
raised  his  voice,  but  its  grating  emphatic  tone, 
more  than  anything  else,  convinced  the  hearer  of 
the  speaker's  deadly  earnest. 

As  soon  as  he  had  stopped  talking,  he  pulled  out 
his  watch  and  said,  in  the  same  unwavering  tone, 
"  Quarter  to  eight." 

The  expression  on  the  face  of  the  hstener  changed 
several  times  as  the  recital  proceeded.  Scorn, 
surprise,  protest  and  anger  had  each  expressed 
itself  in  turn,  and  when  the  speech  reached  its 
end,  the  dominant  expression  was  one  of  hatred 
mingled  with  fear. 

There  was  an  ugly  greenish  tint  in  the  grey  eyes, 
as  their  owner  rose  slowly  from  his  chair  and  went 
towards  the  door.  Holding  the  door  knob  in  his 
hand,  he  turned  round  and  said,  "  To-day  you  have 
lost  a  friend  who  would  have  helped  you  through 
thick  and  thin,  and  you  will  regret  your  resolution 
before  many  weeks  are  over." 

A  moment  later  the  door  closed  and  Witte  found 
hinself  alone,  listening  to  the  retreating  footsteps 
of  his  whilom  companion.    He  replaced  his  watch 


2o6  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

which  he  was  still  holding  in  his  hands,  and  put 
the  pistol  in  the  inside  breast-pocket  of  his  coat ; 
then  resting  back  in  his  chair,  he  became  lost  in 
thought. 

Instinctively  he  felt  that  he  was  for  ever  rid  of 
the  malign  influence  that  had  urged  him  from  bad 
to  worse,  but  he  had  some  vague  fear  of  coming 
trouble. 

He,  however,  determined  to  brave  it  out,  come 
what  might,  and  told  himself  that  it  were  better  to 
be  dead  than  to  slave  for  an  evil  influence  that 
would  drag  him  down  to  the  lowest  depths. 

Having  thus  rid  himself  of  the  incubus  that  had 
hung  over  his  life,  he  set  himself  the  task  of  recover- 
ing the  severe  losses  he  had  sustained  through 
gambling  and  speculation.  He  knew  that  his 
financial  position  was  hopeless,  and  unless  he 
obtained  assistance  from  some  one  he  would  not 
be  able  to  recover  himself. 

To  apply  to  any  relatives  or  acquaintances  would 
be  futile,  as  none  would  trust  him,  owing  to  past 
experiences. 

In  his  insatiate  greed  for  wealth  he  had  staked 
his  all,  and  had  lost,  a  fact  which  seemed  to  be 
generally  known,  and  which  effectually  precluded 
him  from  obtaining  any  substantial  help. 

He  had  long  since  given  up  all  expectations  from 
his  parents-in-law,  but  now  that  both  were  dead, 
hope  sprung  up  afresh. 

The  old  Dutch  Boer  was  very  careless  about 
putting  his  house  in  order,  and  it  was  just  possible 
that  old  Koos  might  have  left  a  will  of  the  old- 
fashioned  class,  bequeathing  the  whole  estate  to  the 


WITTE'S    GOOD    RESOLUTIONS       207 

children  in  equal  shares,  in  which  case  he  would,  as 
natural  guardian  of  his  children,  get  the  manage- 
ment and  control  of  the  share  that  would  come  to 
them  through  their  mother. 

He  would  invest  the  little  fortune  wisely  and  well 
and  rehabilitate  his  name,  so  that  when  his  children 
grew  up  they  would  call  him  blessed. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

A   THUNDERSTORM 

"  TT    DO  not  feel  that  it  is  right  for  me  to  go  to 
I         the  funeral,  while  you  are  sick,  mother," 
I        said  Gijs,  with  an  expression  of  real  con- 
cern on  his  face. 
Tante  Let  smiled  at  her  son  to  banish  his  fears, 
and  assured  him  that  she  would  soon  be  herself 
again.     "  Don't   forget   the   kindness   others   have 
shown  us  in  our  time  of  trouble  ;   and,  besides,  the 
dead  claim  our  respect.     You  must  certainly  go, 
and  offer  to  assist  as  far  as  you  can." 

Tante  Let  had  returned  the  previous  evening 
from  a  neighbouring  farm  where  a  child  was  lying 
ill.  She  had  watched  over  the  Httle  bedside  for 
two  nights,  performing  those  tender  ministrations 
which  only  a  true-hearted  woman  knows  how  to  do. 
As  the  patient  was  battling  for  life  through  the 
crisis  of  a  severe  fever,  the  watcher  remained  on 
continual  guard,  unmindful  of  her  own  discomfort 
and  failing  strength,  until  the  danger  was  overcome. 
When  Tante  Let  reached  her  own  home,  she  was 
exhausted  to  the  verge  of  collapse.  She  retired  very 
early,  promising  herself  a  good  undisturbed  night's 
rest,  but,  as  is  often  the  case  under  such  circum- 
stances, her  slumbers  were  fitful  and  intermittent, 

208 


A    THUNDERSTORM  209 

so  that  next  morning  she  had  a  severe  headache, 
and  had  to  remain  in  bed. 

Wijnand  called  that  morning  on  his  way  to  the 
funeral,  and  invited  Gijs  to  take  a  seat  in  his  cart, 
but  it  required  all  Tante  Let's  persuasion  to  make 
him  go,  and,  when  at  last  he  reluctantly  accepted 
Wijnand' s  offer,  it  was  only  after  dispatching 
Jantje  with  a  note  to  Mrs.  Brandt,  asking  her  to 
call  round  during  the  day  to  see  his  mother. 

From  Sterkfontein  to  Papkuil,  Koos  Hough's 
farm,  was  estimated  at  about  four  hours'  hard  riding, 
and  as  the  funeral  was  to  be  held  that  afternoon 
Gijs  knew  that  it  would  be  very  late  indeed  by  the 
time  he  returned. 

As  they  were  driving  away  from  the  homestead, 
Wijnand  pointed  out  a  little  pig  and  said,  "  I  hope 
that  young  brute  is  not  telhng  a  lie." 

The  pig  was  running  amok  in  all  directions, 
frisking  in  playful  mood,  an  exhibition  that  is 
regarded  by  all  Boers  as  an  infallible  foreshadowing 
of  rain. 

Gijs  looked  at  the  small  animal  and  smiled. 
"  Jantje  told  me  that  he  saw  lightning  towards 
the  north,  at  about  first  cockcrow  this  morning." 

The  weather  is  by  far  the  most  frequently  recur- 
ring topic  in  the  Boer's  conversation,  and  any  one 
acquainted  with  the  periodic  droughts,  extending 
over  many  months,  to  which  the  Karroo  is  subject, 
will  sympathise  with  the  wilderness  dwellers,  and 
make  allowances  for  the  monotonous  frequency  of 
their  reference  to  atmospheric  conditions. 

"  Well,  if  we  don't  get  rain  soon,  it  will  be  a 
serious  matter,"  said  Wijnand.     "  Many  are  already 


210    THE    BREATH   OF   THE    KARROO 

trekking  with  their  stock,  and  our  own  water  supply 
cannot  hold  out  longer  than  another  week." 

For  fully  half  an  hour  the  conversation  dwelt 
upon  drought  with  all  its  attendant  hardships,  until 
it  seemed  that  neither  had  anything  more  pleasant 
to  talk  about. 

They  had  not  met  since  the  day  on  which  they 
had  agreed  to  try  their  luck,  and  Gijs  was  burning 
to  hear  whether  Wijnand  had  already  proposed  to 
Nettie.  But  he  would  not  broach  the  subject  first, 
though  Wijnand  was  equally  anxious  to  know  what 
progress  his  friend  had  made. 

Each  was  waiting  for  the  other's  confession, 
which  sooner  or  later,  would  surely  be  forthcoming  ; 
but  as  neither  spoke  out,  the  conversation  became 
strained  and  unnatural,  with  long  intervals 
between. 

Gijs  at  last  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Wijnand 
had  met  with  a  better  reception  than  himself,  though 
he  refrained  from  telling  him  so,  out  of  respect  for 
his  feehngs.  At  last  he  could  keep  silence  no 
longer  :    "  What  luck  have  you  had  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  None.    You  ?  " 

"  None." 

Involuntarily  a  sigh  of  reHef  escaped  from  both, 
and  now  that  the  condition  of  doubt  and  uncertainty 
was  removed,  they  soon  brightened  into  their  usual 
state  of  cheerfulness  and  good-humour. 

Wijnand  pulled  up  the  horses  to  give  them  a 
breather,  while  Gijs  filled  his  pipe,  and  offered  his 
tobacco  pouch  to  his  friend. 

"  So  it  is  a  case  of  '  as  we  were  '  ?  "  laconically  re- 
marked Wijnand. 


A    THUNDERSTORM  211 

"  Except  that  we  have  added  to  our  experiences 
the  knowledge  of  a  refusal." 

Both  laughed  at  this  new  phase  of  wisdom,  and, 
dropping  all  constraint,  became  confidential  again. 
Wijnand  persuaded  Gijs  to  relate  all  that  had 
passed  between  himself  and  Nettie,  and  though  the 
story  was  told  in  a  halting,  garbled  manner,  it  was 
nevertheless  a  fairly  accurate  account. 

Wijnand  listened  eagerly,  and  when  Gijs  had 
finished  his  recital  said  :  "  You  have  just  told 
me  word  for  word  exactly  what  took  place 
between  Nettie  and  myself,  except  that  in  my 
case  she  added  that  she  was  sorry  I  had  spoken 
at  all." 

Both  remained  silent  for  a  considerable  time,  lost 
in  thought,  as  they  idly  watched  the  httle  grey, 
black-breasted  Karroo  birds  flocking  to  the  out- 
span  to  feed.  So  tame  are  these  birds  that  they 
will  come  within  the  reach  of  a  whip,  and  Wijnand 
occasionally  struck  out  at  any  one  that  was  bolder 
than  the  rest,  and  allowed  the  cart  to  pass  close  to 
it  without  stirring. 

"  What  do  you  intend  doing  next  ?  "  asked  Gijs, 
turning  to  his  companion. 

"  Hope  on  and  trust  to  luck,"  replied  Wijnand, 
absently, 

"  I  suppose  there  is  nothing  else  to  be  done  ;  but 
the  quicker  she  makes  up  her  mind  the  more  com- 
fortable it  will  be  for  us.  It  is  intolerable  to  be 
everlastingly  on  tenterhooks." 

"  Perhaps  we  are  not  even  in  the  running." 

"  Then  the  sooner  we  know  it  the  better,  but  I 
have  no  fear  on  that  score.     She  told  me  emphati- 


212  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

cally  that  she  was  heart-free,  and  she  is  certainly 
truthful." 

"  I  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  she  has  hidden 
anything  from  us.  What  she  said  might  be  quite 
true  of  to-day — but  who  can  tell  what  may  happen 
to-morrow  ?  " 

"  You  or  I  must  oust  any  outsiders,  and  keep 
Nettie  in  the  family,"  and  Gijs  indicated  by  a  wave 
of  the  hand  that  by  "  family  "  he  meant  Wijnand 
and  himself.     Both  chuckled  at  the  idea. 

What  with  discussing  the  topic  nearest  their 
hearts,  and  filling  and  refilling  their  pipes,  the 
journey  soon  came  to  an  end.  Halfway  they  had 
taken  their  horses  from  the  cart  to  give  them  a  drink 
and  rest,  so  as  to  keep  them  fresh,  and  it  was  just 
after  the  dinner-hour  when  they  arrived  at  Papkuil. 

They  were  not  the  first  arrivals.  Several  carts 
were  already  standing  about  the  werf,  mostly  those 
of  near  friends  and  relatives ;  while  other  vehicles 
were  seen  approaching  in  the  distance.  They  were 
received  by  some  members  of  the  family  who, 
according  to  custom,  ushered  them  into  the  house 
to  greet  the  sorrowing  ones,  and  view  the  corpse, 
which  lay  in  an  open  coffin. 

All  the  deceased's  children,  grandchildren  and 
great-grandchildren  were  there,  and  when,  later  on, 
Andries  Witte  also  arrived,  the  fact  caused  some 
astonishment,  and  gave  rise  to  whispered  comments 
among  the  crowd,  as  all  knew  of  the  strained  rela- 
tionship that  had  existed  between  him  and  the 
deceased. 

Some  thought  that  it  was  the  right  thing  for  him 
to  do,  while  others  ascribed  sinister  motives  to  his 


A   THUNDERSTORM  213 

coming,  arguing  that,  as  he  had  not  made  his  peace 
with  deceased  in  his  hfetime,  he  should  have 
remained  away  altogether. 

By  the  time  the  funeral  was  to  commence  a  large 
crowd  had  collected,  including  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Lelieveldt,  who  had  come  from  town  to  conduct 
the  service,  bringing  the  sexton  with  him. 

The  short  and  impressive  service  was  soon  over, 
and  the  coffin  lowered  into  the  grave.  The  relatives 
and  friends  then  approached  in  turn,  and  dropped 
a  handful  of  sand  upon  the  coffin,  as  a  mark  of  respect 
to  the  departed.  This  done,  the  sexton  closed  the 
ceremony  with  the  stereotyped  expression — "  On 
behalf  of  the  surviving  relatives,  friends  present 
are  thanked  for  the  last  respect  shown  to  the 
deceased  " — which  was  also  the  signal  for  the  crowd 
to  disperse  and  go  their  several  ways. 

Papkuil  was  by  no  means  an  attractive  farm, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  believe  that  its  owner  had 
been  without  exception  the  richest  man  in  the 
district.  The  dwelling-house  was  low  and  insigni- 
ficant, presenting  an  unplastered  and  dilapidated 
appearance,  surrounded  by  a  few  mean  looking 
cattle  kraals,  stables  and  sheds,  which  by  no  means 
added  to  the  beauty  of  the  homestead. 

No  attempt  whatever  had  been  made  at  horticul- 
ture, trees  being  conspicuous  by  their  absence. 
Yet  it  was  considered  a  valuable  farm,  owing  to  the 
excellence  of  its  veld,  which  extended  over  an  area 
of  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  morgen.  All 
minds  were  speculating  as  to  its  fate,  now  that  its 
late  owner  was  dead. 

As  soon  as  the  funeral  was  over,  Mr.  Robart  sent 


214    THE    BREATH    OF   THE    KARROO 

word  to  the  children  of  the  deceased  to  meet 
him  in  the  dining-room,  to  hear  the  will  read — 
an  invitation  to  which  immediate  effect  was 
given. 

Old  Koos  was  not  only  richly  blessed  in  worldly 
goods,  but  also  in  children,  so  that  Mr.  Robart 
soon  found  himself  surrounded  by  a  pretty  large 
attendance,  eager  to  hear  the  wishes  of  their  late 
father,  yet  making  the  most  ludicrous  efforts  to 
appear  indifferent. 

Here  one  would  sit  with  arms  folded,  staring  at 
the  ceiling  as  though  he  had  no  interest  in  the 
proceedings,  and  there  another  would  talk  in  an 
undertone  to  his  neighbour  about  the  drought  and 
immediate  prospects  of  rain,  while  others  would 
sigh  solemnly,  and  wipe  away  occasional  tears  with 
brightly  coloured  handkerchiefs,  pretending  that 
their  grief  at  deceased  death's  outweighed  all  worldly 
considerations. 

Yet  in  spite  of  this  show  of  indifference  there 
was  a  strong  undercurrent  of  excitement  and  inquisi- 
tiveness,  for  none,  save  Mr.  Robart,  knew  the 
contents  of  the  will ;  and  he,  lawyer-like,  was  silent 
as  the  grave,  for  all  the  information  any  heir  could 
get  out  of  him  before  the  appointed  time. 

Andries  Witte  had  taken  a  seat  in  the  room,  and 
many  a  furtive  glance  was  cast  in  his  direction,  for 
all  expected  that  something  unpleasant  was  in 
store  for  him. 

When  every  one  was  seated  and  the  door  closed 
a  middle-aged  female,  the  eldest  child  of  the  deceased, 
rose  and  went  into  an  adjoining  bedroom,  whence 
she  presently  emerged  carrying  a  small  tiji  canister. 


d 


A   THUNDERSTORM  215 

This  she  deposited  on  the  table  in  front  of  Mr.  Robart 
and  handed  him  a  small  key. 

The  lawyer  gravely  unlocked  the  canister,  and 
from  a  packet  of  documents  selected  an  official- 
looking  envelope  duly  closed  and  sealed  with  a 
wafer,  and  bearing  the  superscription,  "  Last  Will 
and  Testament  of  Jacobus  Johannes  Hough." 

He  drew  the  attention  of  all  present  to  the  fact 
that  the  envelope  was  intact,  and  then  he  tore  it 
open,  extracted  the  contents,  and  lay  back  in  his 
chair  preparatory  to  reading  it  aloud. 

The  will  was  of  the  old-fashioned  sort,  printed  on 
blue  paper,  with  suitable  blanks  for  filHng  in  the 
names  of  heirs,  executors,  and  such  conditions  as 
the  testator  might  think  fit,  and  began  with  the 
solemn  phrase,  "In  the  name  of  God,  Amen." 

Coming  at  last  to  the  nomination  of  heirs,  it  ran — 
"  As  my  sole  and  universal  heir,  I  nominate  and 
appoint  my  children  begotten  in  lawful  wedlock, 
in  equal  shares,  and  in  the  event  of  any  of  my  heirs 
predeceasing  me,  then  the  descendants  of  such 
predeceased  heir  shall  succeed  to  their  father's  or 
mother's  portion,  as  the  case  may  be,  by  represen- 
tation." 

The  rest  of  the  will  contained  the  appointment 
of  executors,  with  instructions  as  to  the  liquidation 
and  administration  of  the  estate,  both  movable  and 
immovable,  and  ended  with  the  testator  reserving 
to  himself  the  power  at  all  times  to  alter  his  will,  as 
he  might  think  fit,  either  by  a  separate  act  or  at 
the  foot  of  the  will,  desiring  that  all  such  additions 
to  or  alterations  might  form  part  of  his  will. 

The  strict  impartiality  of  the  dead  seemed  to  give 


2i6  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

offence,  judging  by  the  looks  of  disappointment 
clearly  depicted  on  certain  faces.  Evidently  some 
of  the  heirs  expected  some  special  mark  of  favour, 
and,  clearly,  it  was  thought  that  some  exception 
would  have  been  made  in  the  case  of  Witte  and  his 
children. 

Mr.  Robart  replaced  the  will  in  the  envelope, 
and  put  it  on  the  table,  then  searching  the  contents 
of  the  canister  again,  he  produced  another  envelope, 
which  he  hkewise  held  up  to  show  that  the  seals 
were  intact.  All  eyes  were  anxiously  watching  him 
as  he  opened  out  the  document. 

"  This  is  a  codicil  to  the  will,"  he  said,  "  written 
about  four  months,  ago." 

He  again  lay  back  in  his  chair  and  began  to 
read. 

Written  by  virtue  of  the  codiciliary  clause  con- 
tained in  the  testament,  it  invoked  the  aid  of  the 
law  to  declare  it  part  of  the  will  already  made.  It 
provided  for  the  proper  collation  of  all  money 
advanced  to  heirs  during  the  lifetime  of  deceased, 
in  order  to  bring  about  a  fair  and  just  distribution 
of  the  estate  amongst  them,  and  then  contained  a 
a  long  list  of  amounts  due  by  each  child  to  the 
estate. 

The  reading  of  this  list  was  received  with  mixed 
feelings,  as  some  of  the  heirs  had  received  no  advance 
from  deceased,  while  others  again  had  nearly 
exhausted  their  whole  inheritance. 

It  was  generally  believed  that  Witte' s  late  wife 
had  received  from  her  father  far  more  than  her 
share  of  inheritance,  owing  to  the  pressure  put  upon 
her  by  Witte,  but  it  now  appeared  that  in  reaUty 


A    THUNDERSTORM  217 

she  had  received  much  less  than  many  of  the  others, 
and  that  a  substantial  amount  would  devolve  upon 
her  children. 

Mr.  Robart  was  interrupted  in  his  reading  by 
sundry  expressions  of  surprise  and  dissent,  as  the 
list  of  indebtedness  was  called  out,  several  heirs 
protesting  that  they  had  never  received  anything 
like  the  amount  placed  opposite  their  names  ;  but 
the  deceased  evidently  kept  strict  reckoning  of  all 
amounts  he  had  advanced  to  his  children,  for  the 
codicil  continued  : — 

"As  it  was  my  wish  and  desire  neither  to  make 
any  distinction  between  my  heirs,  nor  to  show  any 
favour  to  any  of  my  children  above  the  others,  I 
have  conscientiously  kept  account  of  all  advances 
made  to  them  during  my  lifetime,  and  I  therefore 
direct  that  any  child,  disputing  the  amount  of  his 
indebtedness  as  set  forth  in  this  codicil,  shall  ipso 
facto  be  entirely  disinherited,  and  debarred  from 
all  benefits  whatsoever  under  my  will." 

Either  the  deceased  was  a  close  student  of  human 
nature,  or  else  he  knew  that  there  existed  great 
disparity  in  the  characters  and  dispositions  of  his 
offspring.  At  any  rate,  this  clause  acted  as  a  damper 
on  all  signs  of  rebellion,  and  the  reader  was  allowed 
to  continue  in  peace  : — 

"  Whereas  my  daughter  Anna  predeceased  me, 
leaving  issue,  I  will  and  direct  that  the  inheritance 
devolving  upon  her  children,  by  representation,  in 
terms  of  my  will,  shall  be  deposited  with  the  Master 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  this  Colony,  and  the  whole 
amount  shall  so  remain  deposited,  until  her  youngest 
child  shall  have  attained  the  age  of  twenty-one  years, 


2i8  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

when,  only,  her  inheritance  shall  be  equally  divided 
amongst  her  children.  The  annual  income  derived 
from  such  investment,  T  direct  to  be  paid  over  to 
the  executors  of  my  will,  to  be  by  them  applied 
to  the  maintenance  and  suitable  education  of  the  said 
children,  hereby  appointing  my  said  executors  as 
tutors  over  the  said  children,  with  all  power  and 
authority  allowed  by  law." 

This  was  a  thunderbolt  to  Andries  Witte,  and  he 
felt  that  all  eyes  were  directed  upon  him,  but  he 
gave  not  the  slightest  facial  indication  of  his  feelings, 
and  remained  calm  and  indifferent  to  all  outward 
appearances  until  the  end. 

Mr.  Robart  replaced  the  will  and  codicil  in  the 
canister,  and  handed  it  over  to  the  two  sons  nomin- 
ated as  executors,  shook  hands  with  each  one 
present,  and  took  his  departure. 

Gijs  and  Wijnand  had  left  immediately  after  the 
ceremony,  as  they  had  a  long  way  to  go,  and  it  was 
already  late  in  the  afternoon. 

Dark  thunder-clouds  had  gathered  on  the  horizon 
during  the  afternoon,  threatening  travellers  with  a 
drenching  and  a  wet  road.  Although  a  good  rain 
was  very  much  to  be  desired  just  then,  any  one  who 
had  passed  through  a  thunderstorm  in  the  Karroo, 
especially  in  an  open  cart,  would  suffer  any  incon- 
venience or  delay  rather  than  face  such  a  nerve- 
racking  experience. 

Wijnand  urged  his  horses  to  their  best  travelling 
speed,  to  cover  as  much  distance  as  possible  before 
dusk,  for,  on  a  dark  rainy  night,  it  is  a  difficult 
matter  to  distinguish  the  road  from  the  surrounding 
veld,  owing  to  the  numerous  bare  patches  of  ground, 


A    THUNDERSTOR!\I  219 

without  a  bush  or  blade  of  grass  on  them,  through 
which  the  road  leads. 

Many  a  traveller  in  the  Karroo  has  so  completely 
lost  his  way  that  he  has  been  compelled  to  call  a 
halt,  and  remain  where  he  was  until  daylight  came 
to  show  him  his  whereabouts. 

After  a  while  the  clouds  became  blacker,  and  an 
occasional  flash  of  lightning  gave  warning  of  an 
approaching  storm. 

"  It  is  no  use  trying  to  get  through  that,"  said 
Wijnand,  looking  at  the  horizon.  "  We  had  better 
stop  for  the  night  at  Haaskraal." 

As  they  were  travelling  in  an  open  buggy,  without 
wraps  of  any  kind,  and  not  even  the  inevitable 
kaross,  Gijs  reluctantly  consented ;  although  he 
felt  concerned  about  his  mother,  and  would  have 
liked  to  go  on.  Still  he  knew  from  experience  the 
futility  of  trying  to  keep  to  the  road  on  a  dark, 
rainy  night. 

Haaskraal  was  a  farm  about  three  miles  ahead, 
the  residence  of  Jan  Olivier,  a  maternal  uncle  of 
Wijnand' s. 

"  If  you  intend  reaching  Haaskraal  before  we  get 
soaked  to  the  bone  you  had  better  drive  on  like 
blazes,  for  those  clouds  mean  business,  and  we  have 
not  a  moment  to  waste." 

Wijnand  by  whip  and  voice  urged  his  horses  to 
their  utmost,  and  it  became  a  race  between  them  and 
the  storm.  The  result  was  a  narrow  win  for  the 
horses,  for,  as  they  pulled  up  at  OUvier's  stoep,  a 
blinding  flash  heralded  the  beginning  of  the 
downpour.  No  time  was  lost  in  unhitching  and 
stabhng  the  horses,  and  pushing  the  buggy  into  a 


220    THE    BREATH   OF   THE    KARROO 

shed,  the  spattering  heavy  drops  hastening  the 
operation. 

A  Karroo  thunderstorm  at  night  must  be  seen  and 
experienced  to  be  appreciated  at  its  true  worth  and 
splendour.  No  language  can  adequately  describe 
its  awe-inspiring,  yet  fascinating,  display  of  Ught- 
ning,  mere  words  could  never  convey  a  true  idea  of 
the  grand  majestic  volumes  of  sound,  which  burst 
upon  the  ear  with  sudden  deafening  claps,  to  roll 
away  in  immense  reverberating  peals,  echoing  and 
re-echoing  through  infinity  of  space. 

At  first  the  flashes  were  intermittent,  with  inter- 
vals of  from  one  to  two  minutes,  as  though  to  allow 
time  for  due  appreciation  of  each  spectacular  effect. 
Then  a  brilliant  fork  suddenly  illumined  the  land- 
scape with  the  hght  of  noonday,  only  to  plunge 
everything  into  inky  blackness  the  next  second. 

Whilst  the  eye  strove  to  pierce  the  surrounding 
gloom,  another  flash,  flickering  and  fantastic  of 
design,  darted  like  a  flaming  serpent  from  the 
obscurity  of  the  upper  sky  to  the  deeps  of  the  earth. 

The  intervals  became  shorter  and  shorter,  the 
volleys  louder  and  louder,  until  the  heavens  were 
lit  up  from  end  to  end  with  an  ever-changing 
panorama,  compared  with  which  the  greatest  master- 
piece of  the  most  inspired  artist  would  dwindle  away 
to  an  insignificant  nothingness. 

Silence,  deathly  silence,  for  a  brief  moment,  and 
then,  once  more,  crash  upon  crash,  volley  after 
volley,  vying  with  the  other  in  deafening  mutterings, 
as  though  all  the  destructive  batteries  of  an  enraged 
god  were  malignantly  directed  upon  the  sombre 
and  trembhng  earth  below, 


A   THUNDERSTORM  221 

During  the  first  part  of  the  heavy  storm  only  a 
few  large  drops  of  rain  fell  here  and  there,  but,  later, 
the  water  came  down  in  the  proverbial  bucketsful, 
and  within  a  few  minutes  each  depression  in  the 
ground  was  a  pool,  and  every  furrow  and  sloot  a 
foaming  torrent. 

Inside  Olivier' s  house  every  one  was  very  silent, 
for  the  storm  enveloped  the  whole  place,  and  at 
any  moment  one  of  those  serpentine  streaks  of 
lightning  might  strike  a  chimney.  The  family  sat 
idle  and  depressed — Mrs.  OHvier,  with  a  baby  in 
her  arms,  her  second  youngest,  a  girl  of  four,  crouch- 
ing on  a  footstool,  nestling  her  head  in  her  mother's 
lap  to  muffle  the  sound  of  the  awful  crashes  over- 
head ;  and  a  little  boy  of  seven,  who  rested  his  white, 
terrified  face  against  his  father's  knee,  and  clung 
to  the  strong  arms  that  encircled  him. 

The  thunder  wore  itself  out  as  the  storm  passed 
on  to  the  east,  and  within  the  hour,  as  is  the  way  with 
South  African  tempests,  it  had  completely  spent 
itself,  and  disappeared  mysteriously  as  it  had  come. 

Where  a  moment  before,  the  elements  warred 
against  each  other,  there  now  reigned  a  perfect 
solemnity  of  peace.  The  stars  shone  down  through 
the  purified  ether  on  the  earth  below,  whose  roaring 
waters  sent  up  a  song  of  praise. 

Olivier  and  his  guests  went  out  to  the  sheep  and 
cattle  kraals  to  see  if  any  material  damage  had  been 
done,  and  to  feed  and  water  Wijnand's  horses, 
which  had  been  hurried  into  the  stable  without  any 
attention  at  all. 

It  has  very  often  happened  in  South  Africa  that 
lightning,  striking  a  flock  of  sheep,  has  killed  a  great 


222  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

number  in  one  flash,  as  many  as  eighty  at  a  time, 
so  that  a  severe  storm  passing  over  a  farm  causes 
the  farmer  very  great  anxiety  whilst  it  lasts.  The 
damage  caused  by  lightning,  however,  is  trifling  to 
the  devastation  wrought  by  a  hailstorm.  Hail- 
stones the  size  of  a  man's  fist,  falhng  from  such  a 
distance,  can  slay  cattle  and  sheep  by  hundreds  and 
sweep  away  the  standing  crops  as  effectually  as  any 
raging  fire. 

Fortunately  such  hailstorms  are  exceptional,  and 
when  one  does  occur,  it  marks  an  epoch  in  the  life 
of  the  farmer  who  happens  to  be  the  victim.  Thence- 
forward he  refers  to  events  as,  "  so  long  before  the 
hail,"  or  "  so  long  after  the  hail."  The  storm 
becomes  a  new  anno  domini  in  the  chronicles  of 
time. 

As  the  sun  appeared  on  the  eastern  horizon  the 
following  morning,  Gijs  arrived  at  his  home.  It  is 
usual  for  Boers  to  rise  before  daybreak,  and  to  do 
all  travelling  in  the  early  hours  in  order  to  avoid 
the  great  heat  of  the  day. 

He  was  still  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
homestead,  when  he  noticed  a  Cape  cart  standing 
before  the  house,  which  he  immediately  recognised 
as  belonging  to  Du  Plessis. 

The  accuracy  with  which  Boers  can  recognise  and 
describe  vehicles  and  animals  at  great  distances  is 
cLstonishing.  When  once  a  Boer  has  seen  either 
near  by,  he  will  again  recognise  them,  although  two 
or  three  miles  from  him.  A  peculiarity  in  the  gait, 
build,  or  even  the  switch  of  the  tail,  suffices,  and 
mistakes  are  very  seldom  made. 

As  they  approached  the  farm  another  cart  was 


A    THUNDERSTORM  223 

seen  standing  at  the  side  of  the  house,  which  Wij- 
nand  recognised  as  his  father's  buggy. 

The  sight  of  his  neighbours'  vehicles  increased 
Gijs's  anxiety,  and  he  urged  Wijnand  to  hurry  his 
horses  on. 

As  soon  as  they  reached  the  house  he  jumped  off 
the  cart,  and  hurried  into  the  house,  to  be  met  in 
the  dining-room  by  Mrs.  Brandt,  who  held  up  her 
hand  in  token  of  silence. 

"  Your  mother  is  asleep,  don't  disturb  her  now," 
she  said  in  soft  undertones. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  her  ?  "  asked  Gijs. 
He  felt  uneasy  at  Mrs.  Brandt's  manner. 

"  She  took  bad  soon  after  I  came  yesterday,  and 
became  worse  just  about  sunset,  and  was  very  rest- 
less all  through  the  night,  but  about  an  hour  ago  she 
fell  into  a  peaceful  sleep,  which  we  hope  will  soon 
restore  her," 

"  But  what  is  really  the  matter,  and  what  can  we 
do?" 

"  We  cannot  say  yet,  nor  can  she  tell  us  ;  but  she 
had  a  very  high  temperature,  and  we  gave  her 
something  to  break  the  fever.  She  is  slightly  better 
now.     Mrs.  Du  Plessis  is  with  her." 

"  When  did  she  come  ?  " 

"  I  sent  Jantje  over  to  fetch  her  yesterday,  when 
your  mother  got  bad,  and  she  and  Nettie  came 
immediately.  When  Mrs.  Du  Plessis  saw  your 
mother's  condition  she  insisted  upon  sending  for 
Dr.  Hanau,  and  wanted  to  despatch  Jantje,  but 
Nettie  would  not  hear  of  his  leaving  the  farm,  as 
he  might  be  required  during  the  night,  so  she  went 
herself." 


224    THE    BREATH   OF   THE    KARROO 

"  What !  "  The  exclamation  embodied  a  world 
of  meaning,  and  his  brows  contracted  sharply. 

"  We  tried  our  best  to  dissuade  her,  but  to  no 
purpose.  She  ordered  Jantje  to  saddle  Prince, 
and,  while  we  were  still  pleading,  she  left,  saying 
that  as  she  could  not  be  of  any  help  in  the  sick 
room,  she  would  gladly  do  that  for  Tante  Let," 

"  On  Prince  in  that  storm  !  " 

The  muscles  on  Gijs's  face  were  twisting  with 
suppressed  emotion  and  anxiety. 

Prince  was  a  very  restless  horse,  and  prone  to 
shy  at  any  object,  especially  at  night  time  ;  be- 
sides, he  had  never  been  ridden  by  a  lady  before. 
There  was  no  lady's  saddle  on  the  farm  either,  and 
to  do  a  six  hours'  ride  on  a  man's  saddle  would  be 
extremely  uncomfortable  and  exhausting.  What 
Gijs  feared  most  of  all  was  that  she  might  have 
been  overtaken  by  the  storm,  away  from  any 
homestead  ;  in  which  case  Prince  would  become 
unmanageable,  and  the  consequences  to  Nettie 
would  be  disastrous. 

"  She  left  three  hours  before  sunset,"  continued 
Mrs.  Brandt,  "  so  that  the  doctor  may  turn  up  at 
any  moment." 

"  If  she  ever  reached  there  !  "  Gijs  repHed,  going 
out  to  find  Wijnand,  whom  he  had  left  to  attend 
to  the  horses. 

When  Wijnand  saw  his  friend's  face,  he  knew  at 
once  that  something  serious  had  happened. 

Gijs  explained  in  a  few  hesitating  sentences  what 
he  had  just  heard,  and,  as  Wijnand  reahsed  the 
peril  to  which  Nettie  must  have  been  exposed,  he 
also  became  grave  and  troubled. 


A    THUNDERSTORM  225 

A  consultation  took  place  between  them,  for  it 
was  felt  that  something  had  to  be  done  at  once. 
Gijs  clearly  could  not  leave  the  farm  in  his  mother's 
present  condition,  so  that  it  devolved  upon  Wijnand 
to  start  immediately  for  Victoria  West,  and  fetch 
both  Nettie  and  the  doctor. 

Mrs.  Brandt  heartily  approved  of  her  son's  sudden 
departure  and  urged  him  to  hurry  on,  until  he  had 
satisfied  himself  as  to  Nettie's  safety. 

"  Does  her  father  know  that  she  has  gone  ?  " 
asked  Gijs. 

"  No ;  how  can  he  ?  He  left  shortly  after  dinner 
yesterday,  and  we  told  him  that  if  Tante  Let  got 
worse  we  could  let  him  know,  otherwise  Nicht 
Betty  would  return  this  afternoon." 

"  How  did  he  get  home  ?  " 

"  He  left  his  cart  here  for  his  wife  to  return  with, 
and  walked  back,  saying  that  he  wished  to  go  through 
the  veld  to  see  to  his  cattle." 

"  Should  we  not  let  him  know  ?  " 

"  If  she  does  not  turn  up  this  afternoon,  it  would 
be  advisable,  but  I  hope  that  she  will  be  here  before 
then,  as  Nicht  Betty  is  very,  very  anxious." 

At  these  words  Mrs.  Du  Plessis  herself  walked 
into  the  kitchen  to  greet  the  young  man.  She 
looked  haggard  and  careworn.  All  through  the 
night  she  had  watched  at  Tante  Let's  bedside, 
in  an  unbroken  vigil  of  solicitous  care  for  the  sick 
with  her  mind  racked  with  anxiety  for  her  daughter. 

"  She  is  sleeping  quite  soundly  now,"  she  said 
in  reply  to  Gijs's  questioning  look,  "  and  I  feel  sure 
that  after  a  few  hours'  rest,  she  will  feel  very  much 
better." 


226  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

It  was  a  great  relief  for  her  to  hear  that  Wijnand 
was  going  in  search  of  Nettie,  and  she  impressed 
upon  him  the  urgency  of  returning  as  soon  as 
possible,  to  set  her  fears  at  rest. 

Wijnand  required  no  hurrying  up  from  others, 
for  his  own  heart  was  impelling  him,  at  all  speed, 
to  fly  to  the  assistance  of  the  girl  he  loved,  and 
within  a  few  minutes  after  his  arrival  at  Sterk- 
fontein  he  was  again  on  the  road. 

He  did  not  spare  his  horses,  for  he  knew  that  he 
could  get  fresh  relays  on  the  way,  and  he  determined 
within  four  hours  to  cover  the  distance,  which 
ordinarily  took  six. 


CHAPTER    XV 

A   TOWN    IN    FLOOD 

NETTIE    fully   realised   the    discomfort  she 
would    have    to    endure    for   six     hours 
on   horseback,    and    knew     that     Prince 
required  tact  in  management,  and   con- 
stant watchfulness. 

Although  an  expert  horsewoman,  she  dreaded 
riding  alone  at  night — the  pitfalls  on  the  Karroo 
roads  were  so  many.  But  having  set  herself  the 
task,  for  the  sake  of  her  old  friend,  she  meant  to 
carry  it  through,  no  matter  what  might  happen. 

Prince  behaved  well,  and  responded  readily  to 
the  slightest  touch  on  the  rein,  as  he  covered  mile 
after  mile  of  the  long,  dreary  road. 

Coming  to  the  Brak  River,  where  they  had  out- 
spanned  on  their  return  from  Nachtmaal,  Nettie 
met  an  old  Hottentot  and  his  wife  driving  a  flock 
of  hungry  looking  sheep. 

As  it  was  just  about  half-way  to  the  dorp,  and 
close  upon  sunset,  she  decided  to  dismount  and  give 
the  stallion  a  drink  and  a  breather.  Calling  the 
old  man  she  bade  him  hold  Prince's  head  and  take 
him  to  water, 

"  Where  is  the  Klein  Nooi  going  ? "  enquired 
the  woman,  interestedly,  as  her  husband  led  the 
horse  away. 

227 


228    THE    BREATH    OF    THE    KARROO 

"  To  town,  Ayah,  to  fetch  the  doctor  for  a  sick 
woman." 

"  It  is  still  far.  Is  the  Klein  Nooi  not  afraid  to 
travel  in  the  dark  ?  " 

"  I  don't  hke  it,  Ayah  ;    but  necessity  compels." 

"  Within  an  hour  it  will  rain,  and  the  Klein  will 
get  wet." 

Nettie  had  already  noticed  the  heavy  clouds 
coming  over,  but  was  hoping  that  the  rain  would 
hold  off  until  she  had  reached  her  destination. 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  rain.  Ayah,  but  I  dread  the 
thunderstorm,  as  my  horse  is  very  shy,  and  may 
become  unmanageable." 

"  Then  the  Klein  Nooi  must  not  tliink  of  going 
on  to-night,  for  there  will  be  heavy  thunder  and 
lightning.  Baas  Jan  Cilliers  lives  just  over  that 
rise,"  pointing  in  a  direction  at  right  angles  to  the 
road.  "  The  Klein  Nooi  had  better  go  there,  and 
wait  until  the  storm  is  over." 

"  Are  you  and  your  husband  working  on  that 
farm  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Klein  Nooi,  we  are  taking  these  sheep 
there  now." 

Nettie  looked  again  at  the  clouds  and  tried  to 
make  up  her  mind.  They  certainly  did  not  inspire 
her  with  sufficient  confidence  to  risk  herself  alone 
on  the  road  any  further,  and  yet  her  mission  was  a 
most  urgent  one.  It  might  mean  that  Tante  Let's 
life  depended  upon  it,  and,  if  she  were  to  lose  courage 
now,  and  something  serious  should  happen  to  Tante 
Let,  it  would  be  an  everlasting  reproach  to  her. 
She  felt  that  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to 
go  on,  and  she  determined  to  brave    the    storm, 


A    TOWN    IN    FLOOD  229 

secretly    praying    that    her     fears     might     prove 
groundless. 

When  the  old  Hottentot  returned  with  Prince, 
he  said  : 

"  Klein  Nooi  must  not  risk  being  caught  in  the 
storm.  After  a  drought  hke  this,  the  hghtning 
is  always  very  dangerous." 

"  I  must  go  on,  Outa,  for  I  am  fetching  a  doctor 
for  a  sick  woman,  and  there  is  no  time  to  lose." 

The  word  "  outa,"  meaning  "  old  father,"  is 
only  used  by  Europeans  when  addressing  elderly 
native  males.  The  word  has  changed  in  meaning, 
like  so  many  others,  and  now  signifies  a  native  man, 
in  the  same  way  as  "  ayah  "  signifies  a  native 
woman.  Thus,  should  any  one  address  a  half-caste 
as  "  outa,"  it  would  be  taken  as  an  insult.  Natives 
acknowledge  the  term  as  a  proper  address  only 
when  coming  from  white  people,  and  resent  it  from 
any  other.  Should  a  half-caste  address  a  native  as 
"  outa,"  the  indignant  reply  would  be,  "  I  am  not 
your  outa — you  are  as  black  as  I  am." 

"  If  the  Klein  Nooi  must  go,  she  must  ride  very 
fast  to  reach  Osfontein,  which  is  hardly  two  hours 
from  here.  Perhaps  Klein  Nooi  may  reach  it 
before  the  storm  breaks,  and  from  there  the  Baas 
Japie  may  take  Klein  Nooi  in  his  cart." 

Nettie  thanked  the  old  man  for  his  kind  solicitude, 
and  promised  to  do  as  he  advised.  She  still  had 
half  an  hour's  dayhght  at  her  disposal,  and  meant 
to  make  the  most  of  it,  as  she  would  have  to  slacken 
pace  as  soon  as  it  became  dark. 

The  rest  and  drink  had  refreshed  Prince  con- 
siderably, for  he  cantered  well  and  steadily  on,  as 


230  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

though  reahzing  that  he  must  make  a  certain  point 
within  a  given  time. 

Every  now  and  then  Nettie  looked  anxiously 
over  her  shoulder  at  the  still  gathering  clouds, 
which  seemed  bent  upon  overtaking  her.  Occa- 
sionally she  pulled  up  to  allow  Prince  breathing 
space,  and  keep  him  up  to  the  mark,  but  he  appeared 
as  anxious  as  his  rider  to  get  over  the  road,  for  it 
was  with  difficulty  that  she  could  get  him  to  come 
to  a  standstill.  Then  she  would  pat  him  on  the 
neck,  and  speak  softly  to  him,  "  Good  Prince ; 
good  horse,  don't  fret,  don't  shy  or  play  pranks, 
for  all  depends  upon  you,  old  boy.  It  is  hard  on 
you,  but  think  of  the  good  missus,  so  sick  at  home, 
and  perhaps  you  may  be  the  means  of  saving  her 
life."  Prince  pricked  up  his  ears  to  listen  to  the 
soft  voice  for  a  moment,  and  then  galloped  on 
again. 

All  too  soon  daylight  began  to  fade  into  the 
twilight  which  meant  darkness  within  a  few  minutes, 
and,  as  the  sky  was  becoming  more  and  more  over- 
cast, she  feared  that  she  would  be  unable  to  see  the 
road,  and  would  have  to  leave  things  entirely  to 
Prince's  lead. 

Osfontein  was  still  half  an  hour  away,  and  Nettie 
gave  the  horse  a  slight  tap  to  urge  him  forward. 
It  was  the  first  he  had  received,  and  the  unexpected- 
ness of  it  made  him  almost  shoot  from  under  her 
so  that  she  nearly  lost  her  balance.  With  a  snort 
he  broke  into  a  wild  gallop,  and  sent  the  dust  flying 
in  clouds  behind  him.  Nettie,  not  expecting  that 
he  would  so  spiritedly  respond  to  the  hint,  was 
equally  taken  by  surprise,  and  pulled  in  the  reins 


A   TOWN    IN    FLOOD  231 

as  hard  as  she  could  to  bring  him  back  to  his  usual 
easy  canter.  But  Prince  would  have  it  his  own 
way,  and,  taking  the  bit  between  his  teeth,  disre- 
garded his  rider's  intentions,  and  kept  the  quick 
pace  for  fully  ten  minutes. 

Nettie  by  no  means  objected  to  his  mood,  but 
feared  that  something  or  other  might  cause  him 
to  shy  suddenly,  as  it  was  already  quite  dark,  in 
which  case  she  would  be  badly  thrown,  owing  to 
the  great  speed  at  which  he  was  travelling. 

When  at  last  he  resumed  his  even  canter  Nettie 
noticed  that  his  mouth  was  foaming,  and  that  he 
was  streaming  with  perspiration.  Still,  he  refused 
to  come  to  a  standstill,  in  spite  of  all  her  tender 
persuasion. 

Black  darkness  had  settled  on  the  veld,  and  she 
could  only  trust  that  the  horse  would  keep  to 
the  road,  which  he  instinctively  and  accurately 
did. 

Every  now  and  then  she  saw  flashes  of  lightning 
in  the  distance,  and  faint  rumblings  of  thunder 
reached  her,  but  when  suddenly  a  bright  flash, 
near  by,  lit  up  her  surroundings,  followed  by  an 
unpleasantly  loud  report,  she  felt  her  heart  in  her 
mouth,  as  the  saying  is. 

Prince  behaved  well,  and  kept  his  pace  steadily, 
as  she  leaned  forward  to  pat  his  neck,  and  speak 
encouragingly  to  him. 

At  last  the  lights  of  the  farm  burst  into  view 
as  she  turned  a  little  kopje,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
she  drew  rein,  as  the  dogs  vociferously  announced  her 
approach. 

Japie  Classens,  the  owner  of  the  farm,  warned 


232  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

by  the  barking,  came  out  of  the  house  to  ascertain 
the  cause  of  the  noise. 

When  he  saw  that  his  visitor  was  a  Boer  girl  on 
horseback,  he  gave  an  exclamation  of  surprise, 
and  shouted  for  his  wife. 

Mrs.  Classens  rushed  out  to  welcome  the  new 
arrival,  and  immediately  recognised  Nettie,  for 
flashes  of  vivid  lightning  were  now  following  each 
other  in  quick  succession. 

She  at  once  took  the  girl  indoors,  while  Prince 
received  careful  attention  from  Japie  Classens, 
who  was  a  lover  of  good  horses. 

As  yet  not  a  drop  of  rain  had  fallen,  and  it  was 
feared  that  the  storm  might  prove  a  dry  one,  as  is 
often  the  case. 

Nettie  secretly  hoped  that,  just  for  the  night,  it 
might  prove  dry  and  pass  over  soon,  so  that  she 
could  resume  her  journey  and  carry  out  her  project. 

She  was  still  explaining  the  nature  of  her  mission 
when  large  drops  of  rain  began  to  patter  on  the  roof. 
These  were  followed  by  a  heavy  downpour,  which 
seemed  to  literally  flood  the  world. 

"  What  a  blessing  you  reached  here  in  time," 
said  Mrs.  Classens,  kindly. 

"  I  have  to  thank  my  horse  for  that,"  Nettie 
answered  ;  and  she  told  of  the  sudden  gallop,  and 
the  unbroken  canter  he  had  kept  up  for  the  rest 
of  the  way. 

"  Prince  is  one  in  a  thousand,"  put  in  Classens. 
"  I  know  the  stock  from  which  he  springs.  There  is 
no  horse  hereabouts  to  match  him,  and  I  don't  think 
there  is  more  than  one  girl  in  the  district  either  who 
has  sufficient  pluck  to  ride  him — and  at  night,  too  !  " 


A    TOWN    IN    FLOOD  333 

"  You  only  say  that  to  please  me,  Oom  Japie," 
Nettie  replied,  laughing.  "  I  can  assure  you  I  am 
a  great  coward.  My  heart  sank  into  my  boots,  and 
it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  I  could  coax  it  back 
to  its  right  place.  Let  us  say  that  we  don't  know 
what  any  girl  is  capable  of  until  she  is  put  to 
the  test." 

Classens  smiled  at  Nettie  as  he  leaned  forward  to 
try  and  catch  her  words,  which  were  lost  in  the 
clattering  noise  of  the  rain  on  the  roof. 

It  was  arranged  that  Classens  should  take  the 
belated  guest  to  town  as  soon  as  the  storm  passed 
over,  but  the  rain  continued  to  come  down  in  such 
torrents  that  he  began  to  fear  the  undertaking  would 
be  too  hazardous,  owing  to  the  number  of  sloots  and 
hollows  traversing  the  road,  which  would  soon  be 
in  flood  and  impassable. 

"  It  is  quite  out  of  the  question  to  go  into  town 
to-night,"  said  Mrs.  Classens.  "It  is  pitch  dark, 
and  even  if  you  did  escape  drowning  or  accident, 
you  would  never  get  old  Dr.  Hanau  to  stir  out." 

"  That  is  true,"  agreed  her  husband.  "  I  know 
him  too  well  for  that,  and  even  if  he  were  ever  so 
willing,  he  would  undoubtedly  be  stopped  by  the 
Brak  River — the  rain  is  sure  to  bring  it  down  in 
full  force." 

The  Brak  River,  although  dry  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  year,  became  a  serious  barrier  after 
each  good  rain  on  account  of  its  large  catchment 
area,  and  its  current,  which  was  strong  enough  to 
defy  all  attempts  at  crossing  it.  As  no  bridge 
spanned  its  banks  there  was  nothing  for  the  trav- 
eller to  do  save  wait  patiently   until   the  water 


234  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

subsided  sufficiently  to  admit  of  the  river  being 
crossed — sometimes  this  meant  a  delay  of  two  or 
three  days. 

The  Brak  River,  like  so  many  other  rivers  of  its 
kind,  is  correctly  speaking  no  river  at  all,  but  just 
a  deep  continuous  gorge  for  carrying  off  rain  water 
to  the  sea. 

These  rivers,  or  sloots,  have  become  a  veritable 
curse  to  South  Africa.  Collecting  the  precious  rains 
from  far  and  near  into  one  channel,  they  drain  the 
country  of  its  very  life-blood.  Where,  ten  years 
ago,  there  were  large  grass-covered  valleys  studded 
with  limpid  pools  of  water,  and  bordered  by  tall- 
growing  rushes  and  green  bush,  alive  with  water 
fowl,  the  eye  now  rests  upon  barren  stretches  rid- 
dled with  furrows  and  sloots,  all  acting  as  so  many 
tributaries  to  the  great,  gaping  rent  a  Uttle  farther 
on  ;  and  where,  formerly,  clear  fountains  delighted 
all  creatures  of  the  wilderness  with  their  refreshing 
tinkle  and  song,  the  solemn  windmill  stands  to-day, 
waiting  upon  the  fitful  gusts  of  the  scorching  wind, 
ere  it  can  bring  to  the  surface  the  ever-sinking  water. 

With  the  consequent  disappearance  of  bush  and 
grass,  the  rainfall  became  less  and  less,  and  now 
drought  like  a  skeleton  stalks  abroad,  bringing  in 
its  train  disease  and  pestilence  amongst  animals, 
and  denuding  the  valley  and  hillside  of  every  vestige 
of  life. 

Unless  some  public  movement  is  set  afoot  through- 
out the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  United  South 
Africa  to  combat  this  growing  evil,  the  time  will 
come  when  the  Government  will  have  to  take  the 
piatter  into  very  serious  consideration,  and  spend 


A    TOWN    IN    FLOOD  235 

millions  of  pounds  in  the  conservation  of  rain- 
water, and  closing  up  sloots  and  furrows,  whose 
numbers  are  steadily  multiplying  year  by  year.  If 
not,  the  prophecy  made  some  years  ago,  that  the 
Karroo  will,  in  course  of  time,  become  a  barren 
desert,  will  unquestionably  be  fulfilled. 

Mrs.  Classens  bustled  about  to  prepare  a  meal  for 
her  guest,  who  had  arrived  some  time  after  the  usual 
supper-hour,  and  soon  Nettie,  who  could  not  dis- 
guise the  fact  that  she  was  very  hungry,  found 
herself  seated  before  an  appetising  dish  of  ham  and 
eggs  and  a  steaming  cup  of  coffee. 
.  Some  large,  thick  slices  of  home-made  bread 
spread  over  with  a  thick  layer  of  fresh  butter 
completed  the  simple  yet  delicious  spread. 

Mrs.  Classens  served  coffee  to  her  husband  and 
herself,  and,  although  they  had  already  had  their 
supper,  each  took  a  sUce  of  bread,  in  order  to  put 
Nettie  at  her  ease,  and  encourage  her  to  make  a  good 
meal. 

The  genuine  hospitality  of  the  South  African  Boer 
has  so  often  formed  the  theme  of  writers  that  no 
further  comment  need  be  made  on  it. 

The  rain  was  still  falling  continuously,  and  Nettie 
began  to  fear  that  she  would  have  to  abandon  the 
idea  of  reaching  town  that  night.  Anxiety  for  Tante 
Let  urged  her  on,  and  gave  her  courage  to  brave  all 
dangers,  but  she  felt  the  truth  of  her  host's  statement 
that  the  Brak  River  would  prove  impassable. 

It  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  the  rain  stopped, 
and  Nettie  and  Classens  went  out  to  ascertain  their 
chances  of  getting  to  town. 

The  clouds  had  disappeared,  but  from  all  directions 


236  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

came  the  warning  sound  of  rushing  waters,  so,  reluc- 
tantly, Nettie  had  to  bow  to  the  inevitable.  She 
was  very  tired,  indeed,  after  her  long  ride,  and  was 
glad  when  her  hostess  suggested  retiring  for  the 
night. 

She  soon  fell  into  a  sound,  dreamless  sleep,  and 
when  early  the  next  morning  Mrs.  Classens  woke 
her  with  a  cup  of  coffee,  it  appeared  to  her  that  she 
had  but  just  fallen  asleep.  Still,  she  felt  refreshed, 
and  within  a  few  minutes  was  up  and  about,  and 
ready  to  resume  her  journey. 

It  was  long  before  sunrise,  but  sufficiently  light 
to  see  the  road  clearly. 

As  soon  as  she  came  from  her  room,  Classens 
fetched  his  horses  from  the  stable  to  inspan  his 
buggy.  Nettie  immediatel}^  protested,  saying  that 
she  could  now  go  alone,  as  it  was  daylight,  and  the 
distance  only  an  hour  and  a  half. 

"  Nonsense,  child.  I  may  as  well  go  with  you, 
as  I  have  no  pressing  work  on  hand,  and  it  will 
give  Prince  a  thorough  rest.  Besides,  it  is  so  wet 
and  muddy,  that  you  would  soon  get  bespattered 
from  head  to  foot." 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  mind  the  mud  in  the  least,"  she 
said,  smiling  in  her  usual  bright  way,  "  but  for  the 
sake  of  Prince  I  will  accept  your  kind  offer." 

"  It  is  not  so  much  Prince  that  he  is  thinking  of," 
chimed  in  Mrs.  Classens.  "  He  does  not  very  often 
get  the  opportunity  of  driving  young  ladies  about." 

Japie  Classens  pretended  to  pick  up  a  stone 
to  throw  at  his  wife,  as  she  dived  behind  Nettie 
to  escape. 

"  Well,  at  all  events,  we  won't  elope  further  than 


A    TOWN    IN    FLOOD  237 

the  town,  and  I  may  tire  of  him  in  time  to  bring  him 
back  here  by  midday,"  laughed  Nettie. 

Soon  the  buggy  was  inspanned  and  ready  to  start, 
but  Mrs.  Classens  insisted  upon  Nettie  having 
another  cup  of  coffee,  and  had  a  parcel  of  sand- 
wiches ready  for  their  refreshment  on  the  journey. 

The  morning  air  was  keen  and  invigorating,  and 
the  buggy  sped  along  smoothly  over  the  wet  and 
muddy  road.  Everywhere  there  were  signs  of  the 
heavy  rainfall  during  the  night.  All  the  sloots  and 
hollows  were  washed  clean,  as  the  water  rushed  along 
the  lower  levels  towards  the  town  ;  and  when,  an 
hour  later,  the  buggy  came  to  the  top  of  a  rise  from 
whence  the  approaches  to  the  town  could  be  seen, 
Classens  gave  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  Almachte  !  Look  there  !  "  pointing  towards 
the  outskirts  of  the  dorp.  "  Where  does  all  that 
water  come  from  ?  " 

Nettie  looked,  and  saw  that  the  valley  before  them 
was  almost  completely  submerged,  and  had  the 
appearance  of  a  shallow  lake.  From  where  they 
pulled  up  the  town  itself  could  not  be  seen,  as  the 
low,  drab  hills  intercepted  their  view.  The  only 
approach  to  the  Karroo  dorp  was  through  a  narrow 
basin  or  poort,  and  the  poort,  being  the  lowest  point 
of  a  huge  hollow  many  square  miles  in  extent,  formed 
the  natural  outlet  of  all  flood  water,  and  conveyed 
a  strong  flow  when  not  a  drop  of  rain  had  fallen 
within  several  miles  of  it. 

"  There  must  have  been  very  heavy  rains  higher 
up  during  the  night,"  remarked  Nettie. 

"It  looks  more  like  a  cloud-burst — the  water 
seems  to  come  in  such  a  solid  mass." 


238  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Fortunately  we  can  reach  the  town  without 
having  to  cross  the  water,  so  we  shall  soon  see." 

The  road  from  Osfontein  skirted  the  foot  of  one 
of  the  hills  enfilading  the  poort,  and  was  much 
higher  than  the  bed  of  the  water-course  at  the 
point  where  it  cut  through  the  gorge. 

The  buggy  stood  for  a  moment  outlined  against 
the  brown  of  the  landscape,  and  presently  moved 
on  again.  Everything  looked  peaceful.  A  curious 
blue  haze  enveloped  the  hills,  merging  with  the 
bluer  sky  ;  the  Karroo  birds  flickered  in  and  out  the 
grass ;  and  high  overhead  a  kite  sailed  in  majestic 
sweeping  circles — there  was  no  hint  of  the  death 
and  desolation  that  lay  beyond. 

The  storm  of  the  previous  night  had  not  left 
Victoria  West  unscathed.  The  memory  of  it  Hves 
still  in  the  minds  of  some  of  the  older  inhabitants, 
and,  lest  they  forget,  the  weather-worn  inscriptions 
on  the  old  tombstones  in  the  little  churchyard 
serve  to  remind  them. 

The  day  of  the  great  storm  had  been  hot  and 
sultry,  and  the  intense  heat  deprived  every  one  of 
all  inclination  to  move.  In  store  and  office  alike, 
no  spirit  of  animation  prevailed,  and,  but  for  an 
occasional  transport  waggon  creaking  through  the 
town,  the  streets  were  completely  deserted.  It  was 
not  until  the  sun  went  down  that  signs  of  returning 
life  and  activity  were  manifested.  The  nearer  the 
sun  approached  the  horizon  the  cooler  grew  the  air, 
until  as  twihght  fell,  the  breeze  blew  cold  and 
refreshing. 

In  the  Karroo,  no  matter  how  hot  and  depressing 
the  day  may  be,  the  evenings  are  always  pleasant. 


A   TOWN    IN    FLOOD  239 

Tukie  was  standing  in  front  of  his  shop,  surveying 
a  number  of  bales  of  wool  and  skins  that  he  had 
bought  during  the  day,  making  abstruse  mental 
caJculations  as  to  their  real  value,  when  Andries 
Witte  turned  up  on  his  return  from  his  father-in- 
law's  funeral. 

He  greeted  the  little  Jew  with  a  scowl  and  an  off- 
hand grunt,  as  if  he  were  dissatisfied  with  himself 
and  the  world  in  general ;  but  Tukie  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  his  customer's  moods,  and  came  forward 
in  his  usual  effusive  way, 

"  Good-evening,  Mr.  Witte.     You  are  back  early. 
You  must  have  driven  very  fast." 
•  "  I  am  in  a  hurry  to  get  home.     It  is  going  to 
rain  hard  to-night,  but  I  must  give  my  team  a  rest. 
See  to  them." 

Tukie  immediately  took  charge  of  the  cart  and 
horses,  whilst  Witte  slouched  off  to  his  room,  where 
he  took  a  bottle  of  brandy  from  his  bag  and  helped 
himself  very  freely.  Then  he  flung  himself  upon 
the  stretcher,  muttering  thickly  to  himself : 

"  How  they  eyed  me  when  the  codicil  was  read 
.  .  .  beasts  .  .  .  fools.  No  one  ever  laughs 
at  Andries  Witte  and  goes  unpunished  .  .  . 
that  old  idiot  Koos  Hough  .  .  .  and  they  will 
all  talk  and  laugh  at  me  .  .  .  that's  right, 
laugh,  laugh  .  .  .  I'm  laughing  now  .  .  .  . 
More  brandy,  more  brandy  !  " 

Pouring  himself  out  half  a  tumbler  full  he  tossed 
it  off  without  so  much  as  gasping,  and  then  lay 
down  again,  more  brain-muddled  than  ever. 

"  I  shall  laugh  when  they  can't  find  it,  and  they 
can't     .     .     .    that's  a  sure  thing     .     .     .     thought 


240  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

they  were  dealing  with  a  fool,  did  they  ?  .  .  . 
could  do  Andries  Witte  out  of  his  share  ...  let 
them  find  the  codicil  now  ...  old  Robart  is 
clever,  but  he  can't  read  ashes.     .     .     ." 

His  rambling  speech  ended  in  an  incoherent  drawl, 
but  he  did  not  fall  asleep.  Some  disturbing  thought 
kept  him  rolling  from  side  to  side,  until  at  last  he 
sat  up  and  reached  out  for  the  brandy  bottle.  It 
was  perfectly  dark  in  the  room,  and  his  groping, 
shaky  hand  could  not  light  on  what  he  sought  for 
so  tremulously.  He  stretched  out  further,  and  lost 
his  balance.  Unable  to  recover  himself  he  fell  off 
the  stretcher-bed — into  water. 

The  unexpected  immersion  had  a  momentary 
sobering  effect,  and,  cursing  loudly,  Witte  jumped 
to  his  feet,  trying  to  collect  his  scattered  senses. 
Where  was  he,  and  why  was  there  water  in  his  room  ? 
He  felt  for  the  matches,  but  they  would  not  ignite. 
He  was  standing  ankle-deep  in  cold  water  that  was 
slowly  rising — he  felt  it  creeping  up  his  legs  inch  by 
inch.  Staggering  on  a  few  steps  he  tried  to  step 
clear,  but  the  whole  floor  was  submerged. 

"  Tukie  !  Tukie  !  "  the  frightened  Witte  shouted, 
as  he  cursed  the  httle  Jew  for  his  neghgence  in 
permitting  water  to  flow  into  the  room  hke  this. 
"  Tukie  1    Tukie  !  " 

Receiving  no  answer  he  tried  to  find  the  door, 
for  the  water  was  over  his  knees  now,  and  he  reahsed 
dimly  that  he  stood  in  some  danger. 

"  If  I  can  find  that  accursed  Jew,  I'll  wring  his 
neck !  " 

He  touched  the  wall  of  the  room,  and,  sliding  along 
it,  reached  the  door.     As  he  turned  the  handle  a 


A   TOWN    IN    FLOOD  241 

great  force  of  water  from  outside  pressed  the  door 
open  with  a  rush,  and  Witte  had  only  time  enough 
to  fling  himself  out  of  the  inflow  ere  the  whole  room 
was  deeply  flooded. 

Half-swimming,  half-struggling,  he  got  out  of  the 
rushing  current.  There  was  water  everywhere ! 
Holding  on  to  the  wall  of  the  house  he  waded  to  the 
corner  of  the  building. 

The  sweeping  torrent  was  in  possession  of  every- 
thing, playing  ducks  and  drakes  with  Tukie's 
valued  bales  of  wool,  which  floated  hither  and 
thither  on  the  face  of  the  waters,  and  swirling  into 
corners  after  derelict  chairs. 

Witte  was  now  sober  enough  to  understand  the 
full  extent  of  the  horror  facing  him.  He  dared  not 
leave  the  wall,  and  nobody  was  in  sight.  He  must 
remain  where  he  was,  clinging  on  to  the  fragile 
projection  which  was  his  saviour,  until  the  flood 
subsided. 

One  of  the  larger  bales,  propelled  swiftly  along 
by  the  eddying  water,  caught  Witte  in  the  back, 
causing  him  to  lose  his  hold.  Into  the  maelstrom 
midstream  the  swift  rush  carried  him,  turning  his 
helpless  body  over  and  over. 

One  by  one  the  remaining  bales  of  wool  eddied 
into  the  current,  bobHng  up  and  down  like  a  school 
of  porpoises  at  play.  Every  movable  household 
article  within  reach  of  the  water  was  animated  with 
an  irresistible  desire  to  go  a-navigating,  and  the  main 
stream  presented  the  appearance  of  a  second-hand 
dealer's  shop  let  loose  in  a  medley  of  confusion. 

An  old  waggon,  long  since  discarded  as  unfit  for 
the  road,  rolled  by  in  drunken  effort  to  keep  itself 
Q 


242  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

upright ;  a  little  go-cart,  released  from  work-a-day 
responsibilities,  executed  somersaults  in  the  doorway 
of  the  Post  Office  ;  a  quantity  of  heavy  boards, 
flotsam  of  some  timber  yard,  swept  the  stream  of  a 
whole  host  of  small,  nondescript  articles  floating  in 
a  mass.  Large  pieces  of  furniture,  each  displaying 
a  mode  -r^'  '  '^motion  peculiar  to  its  weight  and 
shape,  hustled  each  other,  and  gyrated  madly  round 
a  whirlpool  formed  by  two  contrary  currents  at  a 
crossroad. 

Victoria  West  was  in  flood.  The  river,  formed  by 
the  water  passing  through  the  poort  from  time  to 
time,  had  proved  too  small  to  hold  the  sudden  and 
tremendous  force  poured  into  it  from  the  extensive 
watershed,  and  the  overflow  sought  its  level  in  the 
town.  As  no  rain  whatever  had  fallen  in  the  dorp, 
the  inhabitants  were  taken  by  surprise.  No  alarm 
was  possible — death  came  swiftly  to  all  alike. 

The  first  thought  of  every  one  was  the  salving  of 
such  property  as  each  deemed  most  valuable,  but 
very  soon  work  of  a  far  more  important  nature 
thrust  itself  on  the  attention.  From  the  houses 
nearest  the  river  escape  was  well-nigh  impossible, 
and  from  these  came  piteous  cries  for  help. 

Part  of  the  town  was  built  against  the  foot  of  a 
low  hill,  and  its  upper  portions  were  safe  from  the 
engulfing  water.  Thither  men,  women  and  children 
had  rushed  for  safety,  crowding  the  roofs  of  the 
houses,  as  they  watched  the  fearful  scene. 

Splashing  through  the  water  the  frantic  people 
tried  for  safe  footholds  above  the  flood  hne.  And 
from  every  side  came  the  piteous,  never-ending 
scream  as  house  after  house  was  submerged. 


A    TOWN    IN    FLOOD  243 

On  improvised  rafts,  on  chairs  lashed  together, 
and  deeply  sunk  tables,  the  rescue  parties  worked 
through  the  night,  creeping  up  to  the  menaced  houses 
and  taking  out  the  inmates  one  by  one.  Some, 
frantic  with  terror,  made  it  difficult  for  their  res- 
cuers to  save  them  ;  others  waited  their  turn  silently, 
with  a  prayer  on  their  hps.  One  .old  crone,  bent 
with  age  and  rheumatism,  regardless  of  her  own 
personal  safety,  and  deaf  to  the  cries  around  her, 
clung  to  a  cash-box  throughout,  evidently  consider- 
ing further  existence  without  it  useless. 

Now  and  again  came  the  rumble  of  falling  walls 
as  ill-built  houses  gave  way  under  the  volume  of 
pouring  water.  All  was  destruction,  desolation, 
death. 

Towards  daybreak  the  water  subsided  as  suddenly 
as  it  had  come,  and  by  the  time  the  sun  rose  every 
house  could  be  entered  and  searched. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

CROSSING   THE   SPRUIT 

AS  the  water  receded  from  the  streets  and 
houses  many  pitiful  sights  were  disclosed. 
The  full  extent  of  the  catastrophe  only 
became    apparent    when    the    work    of 
gathering  the  dead  began. 

p.-  The  Library  Hall,  the  only  public  building  in  the 
place,  was  converted  into  a  mortuary,  and  echoed 
to  the  sobs  and  lamentations  of  many  grief-stricken 
hearts  as  bearer  party  after  bearer  party  entered 
to  deposit  the  remains  of  some  unfortunate  victim 
of  the  great  flood. 

Numbers  of  pale-faced  men  and  women,  who 
had  fruitlessly  sought  their  missing  relatives  among 
the  living,  came  to  see  if  they  were  numbered  with 
the  dead.  To  some  the  superintendent  of  the 
police,  with  a  silent  shake  of  his  head,  conveyed  the 
news  that  the  lost  one  was  not  in  his  charge,  when, 
with  renewed  hope,  the  weary  searchers  went  out 
to  wander  afresh  through  every  nook  and  corner 
of  the  wrecked  town.  To  others,  in  answer  to 
the  eternal  enquiry,  the  officer  would  give  a  mono- 
syllabic "  Yes,"  and,  turning,  lead  the  way  to  the 
darkened  room  behind. 

Still  the  parties  came  on  with  their  ghastly  bur- 
dens, and  inside  the  hall  busy  helpers  arranged  the 

244 


CROSSING    THE    SPRUIT  245 

bodies  in  rows  for  identification,  and  removed 
soaked,  muddy  clothes,  replacing  them  with  suitable 
wrappings. 

Among  the  dead  was  the  body  of  a  woman  whose 
cottage,  several  miles  above  the  poort,  was  the  first 
to  be  swept  away.  The  force  of  the  onrush  carried 
her  and  her  two  children  right  through  the  poort 
and  laid  them  against  the  churchyard  wall  at  the 
end  of  the  town,  as  though  bringing  them  to  a 
resting-place.  No  marks  or  scratches  of  any  kind 
were  on  the  bodies,  and  how  they  escaped  injury  as 
they  dashed  through  brushwood  and  over  jagged 
rocks  will  never  be  known. 

Others  there  were  whose  bodies  were  so  cut  and 
torn  that  identification  was  only  possible  by  the 
shreds  of  clothes  they  wore.  Saddest  of  all  was  the 
fate  of  a  young  man,  who  had  taken  a  prominent 
part  all  through  the  night  in  rescuing  others. 
Attracted  by  cries  for  help  from  a  falling  house,  he 
waded  into  the  water  beyond  his  depth,  and  was 
pinned  against  the  wall  by  the  force  of  the  current, 
until  a  tree  trunk,  swirling  past,  struck  and  crushed 
him  against  the  wall,  which  gave  way,  burying  him 
in  the  jammed  mass  of  the  wreckage. 

Early  in  the  morning  all  the  available  carts  and 
waggons  went  down  to  the  river  bank  to  salve  as 
much  lost  property  as  possible,  and  each  one 
returned  to  the  Library  Hall  mth  a  body. 

Gradually  the  big  room  became  fuller  and  fuller, 
and  when  at  last  bodies  ceased  to  be  brought  in  and 
no  more  were  reported  missing,  the  tragic  death- 
roll  was  totalled. 

A  gloom  hke  the  shadow  of  a  great  pall  lay  upon 


246  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

the  town.  People  in  the  streets  spoke  in  whispers, 
so  overawed  were  they  by  the  solemnity  of  the 
sorrow  that  had  visited  them.  Business  was 
entirely  suspended,  and  everywhere  undertakers 
hunied  to  and  fro  as  they  made  an-angements  for 
the  funeral.  Family  groups,  with  bowed  heads 
and  tear-stained  eyes,  passed  in  and  out  of  the  hall 
of  death. 

Nettie  had  many  friends  among  the  dead  and 
living,  and  would  gladly  have  stayed  on  in  Victoria 
West  to  render  any  service,  but  her  first  duty  was 
to  send  off  the  doctor  to  the  help  of  Tante  Let,  and 
she  knew  that  her  presence  would  be  needed  on  the 
lonely  farm.  In  the  town  there  were  so  many 
workers — even  the  very  old  and  the  children  found 
employment  now. 

Hurrying  off  to  the  doctor  as  soon  as  she  arrived 
in  the  wrecked  town,  Nettie  found  that  he  was  out 
tending  the  injured,  and  although  she  tried  to  way- 
lay him,  she  did  not  succeed  in  getting  a  talk  with 
him  until  close  on  noon.  He  was  very  busy,  and 
worked  off  his  feet,  having  been  up  all  night.  He 
had  done  his  full  share  in  the  work  of  rescue,  and 
was  besieged  on  all  sides  with  anxious  appeals  for 
help.  As  he  explained  to  the  eager  girl,  there  were 
many  among  the  rescued  who  were  ill  at  the  time 
of  the  catastrophe,  and  who,  in  consequence  of  the 
soaking  and  exposure,  were  now  in  critical  condi- 
tions. Numbers  of  people  were  down  with  nervous 
prostration,  and  others,  half  mad  with  grief,  were 
in  danger  of  losing  their  reason.  And,  of  course, 
the  minor  injuries  caused  by  blows  received  from 
debris  carried  down  by  the  flood,  were  countless. 


CROSSING   THE    SPRUIT  247 

It  was  quite  impossible  for  Dr.  Hanau  to  leave  the 
town  and  hurry  off  to  so  outlying  a  farm  as  Sterk- 
fontein.  And  Nettie  was  bidden,  as  the  doctor 
knew  Tante  Let  very  well  indeed,  to  describe  the 
patient's  symptoms. 

Being  quite  accustomed  to  this  second-hand 
method  of  obtaining  medical  treatment  the  girl 
went  into  minute  details,  and  was  only  pulled  up 
by  the  doctor's  assurance  that  there  was  nothing 
whatever  to  be  alarmed  at.  Tante  Let  was  merely 
run  down  and  required  complete  rest.  It  was  not 
necessary  that  a  doctor  should  visit  her  at  all,  but 
as  she  was  an  old  patient  and  a  much-respected 
one,  he  would  journey  out  to  Sterkfontein  as  soon 
as  ever  the  condition  of  things  in  Victoria  West 
improved.  At  the  moment,  as  he  was  the  only 
physician  for  miles  around,  he  could  not  leave  his  post. 

Doctor  Hanau  mixed  a  bottle  of  medicine  and 
handed  it  over  to  Nettie,  and  next  instant  was  deep 
in  conversation  with  a  tragic-faced  woman  who  had 
waited  patiently  for  him  to  speak  to  her. 

As  soon  as  Nettie  realised  that  she  could  not 
induce  Doctor  Hanau  to  accompany  her  to  Sterk- 
fontein her  one  idea  was  to  get  back  to  Classens, 
and  start  for  the  farm.  Tante  Let  must  have  the 
medicine,  at  any  rate. 

She  was  hurrying  down  the  street  when  some  one 
overtook  her  from  behind,  and  a  hand  was  laid 
upon  her  shoulder. 

"  Thank  God,  you  are  safe  !  " 

Nettie  turned  in  surprise  and  found  herself  face 
to  face  with  Wijnand,  who  grasped  her  hand  and 
pressed  it  tenderly. 


248  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Good  heavens,  Wijnand !  What  brought  you 
here  ?  " 

"  What  else  but  Nettie  ?  Your  mother  is  half 
wild  with  anxiety,  and  I  was  deputed  to  hunt 
you  out  and  bring  you  away  from  this  sad  town 
instantly." 

"  How  silly  you  all  are  !  You  knew  I  was  here 
to  fetch  a  doctor,  and  surely  I  am  not  such  a  baby 
that  I  cannot  look  after  myself." 

"  No.  But  such  a  storm  as  you  must  have  passed 
through  was  enough  to  strike  terror  to  the  bravest 
heart." 

"  I  did  not  pass  through  it.  Prince  outstripped 
it,  and  only  when  I  was  safe  under  Japie  Classens' 
roof  did  it  burst.  Oh,  Wijnand,  is  it  not  piteously 
sad  here  ?  There  are  so  many  whom  I  could  help, 
and  yet  I  feel  the  necessity  of  hurrying  back 
to  dear  Tante  Let.  How  was  she  when  you 
left  ?  " 

"  She  fell  asleep  shortly  before  Gijs  and  I  reached 
Sterkfontein  this  morning,  and  I  am  sure  will  be 
much  better  now." 

"  This  morning  !  How  did  you  manage  to  get 
here  so  soon  ?     Was  not  the  Brak  River  full  ?  " 

"  I  got  fresh  horses  along  the  road,  and  you  may 
be  sure  I  did  not  spare  them.  There  was  some 
water  in  the  river,  but  not  much,  as  the  storm 
passed  lower  down." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that.  I  was  afraid  of  being  stopped 
on  my  way  back." 

"  If  Doctor  Hanau  is  ready  we  can  start." 

"  He  cannot  get  away  at  all  now,"  said  Nettie 
regretfully.    "  But  he  gave  me  a  bottle  of  medicine, 


CROSSING   THE    SPRUIT  240 

and  we  must  take  it  at  once.  The  sooner  Tante  Let 
has  a  dose  of  it  the  better." 

The  conversation  then  turned  to  -the  flood,  and 
all  that  Nettie  had  seen  and  heard  of  the  catastrophe. 
As  they  went  along  grim  evidence  of  death  met 
them  on  every  side. 

"  I  simply  cannot  stay  in  town  any  longer,"  cried 
Nettie.  Her  face  was  drawn  with  intense  feeling, 
and  her  voice  trembled.  "  I  feel  so  unstrung  that 
I  fear  I  shall  collapse  if  we  remain  here.  Let  us 
start,  let  us  start  at  once  !  " 

"I'm  afraid  the  journey  will  be  too  much  for  you 
—coming  on  the  top  of  all  this  !  "  replied  Wijnand, 
tenderly.  "  Hadn't  I  better  leave  you  at  Osfontein, 
and  ride  on  from  there  with  the  medicine  ?  " 

"  No,  no,"  she  answered,  more  calmly.  "  Mother 
will  be  so  very  anxious.  And  once  away  from  all 
this  misery  I  shall  be  all  right  again." 

"  It  will  be  late  by  the  time  we  reach  Sterkfon- 
tein.     Do  you  mind  ?  " 

"  Why  should  I  ?  I  should  feel  safe  with  you 
in  the  darkest  night." 

Her  words  were  accompanied  by  a  look  full  of 
confidence  and  trust,  and  the  young  man  felt  a 
thrill  of  delight  as  she  spoke. 

Without  further  delay  Classens  was  hunted  out, 
and  was  told  how  matters  stood.  He  would  gladly 
have  gone  back  with  them,  but  he  had  many 
relatives  among  the  homeless  and  dead,  and  could 
not  very  well  desert  them  in  such  an  hour. 

Soon  Wijnand  and  Nettie  were  seated  in  the  buggy, 
and,  glad  to  turn  their  backs  upon  such  a  scene  of 
desolation,  they  drove  off  at  once. 


250  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Arrived  at  Osfontein,  they  found  that  the  news 
of  the  calamity  had  preceded  them,  but  Mrs. 
Classens  still  wanted  further  particulars,  and  would 
have  detained  the  pair  for  the  night  had  their  reason 
for  going  on  been  of  a  less  pressing  nature.  Prince 
was  brought  out  of  the  stable,  and  mounted  by  a 
young  native  boy,  named  Umbwane,  lent  by  Mrs. 
Classens,  and  within  a  few  minutes  of  its  arrival  the 
buggy  was  again  on  its  journey. 

The  road  was  wet  and  heavy,  and  travelling  was 
difficult.  Where  but  the  day  before  Prince  had 
kicked  up  a  volume  of  dust  behind  him  there  was 
nothing  but  slush  and  mud. 

Wijnand  had  left  his  own  horses  at  Jan  Cillier's 
farm  and  intended  calling  for  them  before  recrossing 
the  Brak  River. 

In  the  over-excited  state  of  her  nerves  Nettie 
talked  volubly  on  all  topics,  trying  to  force  herself 
to  forget  the  scene  she  had  left  behind,  and  Wijnand 
did  what  he  could  to  keep  things  going.  But 
after  some  time  it  seemed  that  every  possible  topic 
was  exhausted,  and  both  lapsed  into  silence. 

The  impression  upon  their  youthful  minds  of 
such  sorrow  as  they  had  witnessed  was  too  deep  to 
be  easily  dismissed,  and  they  found  their  thoughts 
dwelling  continually  upon  the  disaster. 

It  was  a  relief  when,  towards  sunset,  they  reached 
Cillier's  farm  to  exchange  horses  and  snatch  a  short 
rest. 

Being  off  the  main  road  the  dreadful  news  had 
not  yet  reached  this  out-of-the-way  spot,  and 
Wijnand  and  Nettie  had  to  relate  the  whole  of  the 
events  over  again,  and  answer  numerous  questions. 


CROSSING    THE    SPRUIT  251 

Cillier  and  his  wife  pressed  them  to  stay  for  the 
night,  warning  them  that  the  river  had  swollen 
considerably  during  the  day  and  that  it  was  danger- 
ous to  cross  it.  But  Nettie,  knowing  the  state  of 
anxiety  in  which  her  mother  would  be,  decided  to 
push  forward  and  risk  the  consequences. 

"  She  will  know  that  the  river  is  full,  and  most 
difficult  to  cross,"  urged  Cillier,  persuasively. 

"  Yes,  but  having  heard  of  the  flood  in  town, 
and  not  knowing  that  I  slept  at  Osfontein,  she  may 
conclude  that  I  am  drowned." 

"  Nonsense  !  As  soon  as  the  news  reached  her 
she  would  be  told  that  you  are  all  right." 

"  Well,  anyhow,  I  have  also  to  think  of  Tante 
Let,"  said  Nettie  decisively,  "  and  even  if  mother 
is  not  in  any  trouble  about  me,  I  ought  to  hurry  on 
with  the  medicine." 

Mrs.  CilHer,  who  noticed  Nettie's  overstrung 
condition,  felt  genuinely  concerned,  and  begged  the 
girl  to  remain. 

"  I  am  sure,"  she  said  kindly,  "  your  mother 
would  be  glad  to  know  that  you  are  safe  with  us  for 
the  night.  Let  Wijnand  ride  Prince  home,  and  take 
the  medicine.  He  can  give  them  all  news  of  you 
and  you  can  go  on  at  your  leisure  to-morrow." 

For  a  moment  Nettie  wavered,  but  she  felt  too 
uneasy  to  settle  down,  and  longed  to  be  with  her 
mother. 

"  You  are  very  good,  Mrs.  Cillier,  but  now  that 
I  am  on  the  road  I  would  like  to  get  the  journey 
over.  Of  course  if  we  find  the  river  quite  impassable, 
we  shall  have  to  return  and  accept  your  hospitality." 

Wijnand   had  exchanged   the   horses,   and  was 


252  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

ready  to  start,  and  in  less  than  twenty  minutes 
from  the  time  of  their  arrival  they  were  moving  on 
again. 

"  Now  that  I  have  my  own  horses,  I  can  drive 
faster.     We  ought  to  be  home  in  two  hours'  time." 

"  I  am  glad,"  replied  Nettie,  "  but  please  do  not 
overtax  them.  An  hour  more  or  less  will  not 
matter,  will  it  ?  It  was  only  that  I  could  not 
bear  the  idea  of  stopping  half-way." 

"  I  was  thankful  that  you  decided  not  to  stay," 
said  Wijnand,  looking  at  her  tenderly.  "  The  road 
would  have  been  very  lonely  without  you." 

"  I've  been  poor  company  so  far,  but  I  do  not 
feel  myself  at  all.     Forgive  me." 

Wijnand  protested  that  to  him  she  was  the 
sweetest  company  in  the  world.  He  was  fast 
drifting  on  to  forbidden  ground,  and  could  hardly 
prevent  himself  from  dropping  the  reins  and  taking 
the  tired  girl  in  his  arms.  She  was  weary  and  ill — 
he  longed  to  comfort  her.  And  just  then  the  bank 
of  the  river  loomed  before  them. 

The  Brak  had  certainly  a  great  deal  of  water  in 
it,  but  Wijnand,  who  knew  every  inch  of  it,  saw  no 
difficulty  in  crossing.  He  judged  that,  at  the  ford, 
the  water  would  not  reach  above  the  horses'  girths, 
and  Nettie  kept  on  reiterating  her  desire  to  get  to 
the  other  side. 

With  Boer-like  carefulness  Wijnand  ordered  the 
native  to  cross  first  on  Prince,  so  that  they  might 
see  exactly  the  depth  and  strength  of  the  current. 
The  horse  walked  in  boldly  as  though  the  current 
was  of  no  consequence  at  all.  At  no  time  was  the 
water,  even  at  the  deepest  part,  above  his  girth. 


CROSSING    THE    SPRUIT  253 

As  he  scrambled  up  the  opposite  bank  Wijnand, 
reassured,  prepared  to  follow.  Putting  the  horses 
to  the  stream  he  drove  them  carefully,  guiding  them 
over  the  ford  with  a  strong  hand. 

The  buggy  was  in  mid-stream  when  the  near 
horse  stumbled  over  a  stone  and  plunged  forward 
in  terror.  Unable  to  regain  his  balance  he  fell  on 
his  side,  and,  breaking  the  dissel-boom,  disappeared 
in  the  fast-running  stream.  The  next  moment 
Wijnand  and  Nettie  were  strugghng  in  the  water. 
The  falling  of  the  horse,  the  smashing  of  the  shaft, 
and  the  struggles  of  the  drowning  animal  had  over- 
turned the  buggy.  Both  horses  were  now  kicking 
out  and  plunging  in  their  efforts  to  free  themselves 
from  the  hampering  harness,  and  to  keep  their 
heads  above  water. 

It  all  happened  in  a  moment,  and  so  unexpectedly 
that  Wijnand  was  unable  to  grip  hold  of  Nettie, 
though  he  endeavoured  to  do  so.  As  the  buggy 
turned  over  he  was  thrown,  still  holding  the  reins, 
right  on  to  the  frightened  horses.  Nettie  fell  clear 
of  the  buggy,  but,  managing  to  grasp  the  hood, 
she  was  able  to  prevent  herself  from  being  washed 
away,  and  succeeded  in  climbing  up  on  the  side 
of  the  oscillating  buggy.  Wijnand  was  between 
the  horses  now,  and  in  great  danger  of  being  kicked 
by  their  hoofs  as  they  lashed  out  in  every  direction. 
The  dashboard  was  splintered  and  broken  as  the 
off  horse  broke  his  traces  and  regained  his  footing. 

Nettie  called  at  the  top  of  her  voice  to  Umbwane 
to  come  to  the  rescue,  and  the  boy,  who  had  seen 
what  had  happened,  was  already  urging  Prince 
towards  them  as  fast  as  he  could. 


254  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  Get  to  their  heads  and  steady  them  !  "  shouted 
Wijnand,  who  was  standing  between  the  horses, 
unable  to  get  clear  of  them  whilst  they  struggled  so 
violently. 

Catching  at  their  heads  Umbwane  was  able  to 
quieten  them,  and  Wijnand,  with  slow  difficult 
movements,  clambered  on  to  the  buggy. 

"  Are  you  hurt,  Nettie  ?  "  he  asked,  wiping  the 
water  from  his  face. 

His  first  thought  was  of  her.  The  girl  noticed 
that,  as  she  rephed  cheerfully  :  "  No,  I  am  all 
right.     Are  you  ?  " 

"  That  brute  '  Aasvogel '  kicked  me  in  the  side, 
but  it  is  nothing.     You  must  get  to  the  bank." 

Nettie  nodded,  and  was  chmbing  over  the  wheel 
of  the  buggy  nearest  to  her  when  the  force  of  the 
current,  catching  her  skirts,  pinned  her  against  the 
axle. 

What  was  to  be  done  !  She  could  not  wade  with 
the  weight  of  the  water  in  her  skirts,  and  needing 
both  hands  to  grip  the  wheel,  was  unable  to  throw 
off  her  impeding  garments.  Wijnand  tried  to  lift 
her  on  to  Prince's  back,  as  he  stood  alongside,  but 
it  was  useless.     She  slipped  back  every  time. 

At  last  Umbwane  had  a  happy  thought.  Backing 
Prince  close  up,  he  told  the  be\\dldered  girl  to  hang 
on  to  the  horse's  tail. 

"  If  the  Baas  will  take  the  horse's  head  and  lead 
him  slowly  I  will  hold  up  the  Klein's  dress  so  that 
she  may  walk  out." 

Wijnand  saw  the  wisdom  of  the  suggestion,  and 
at  once  acted  upon  it.  Nettie  clung  to  Prince's 
tail  as  well  as  she  could,  laughing  hysterically  the 


CROSSING    THE    SPRUIT  255 

while.  The  native,  bending  down,  caught  her 
wet  skirts,  and  with  Prince  dragging  her  slowly 
step  by  step  the  bedraggled  girl  reached  the  bank 
in  safety. 

Thoroughly  exhausted  and  overburdened,  she 
sank  down  on  the  margin  of  the  rushing  stream, 
whilst  the  two  men  turned  back  to  right  the  buggy 
and  bring  it  out.  The  horses,  as  though  knowing 
what  was  wanted  of  them,  stood  perfectly  still. 

Wijnand,  rummaging  under  the  seat,  brought 
out  a  rope,  just  as  Umbwane  freed  the  near  horse, 
"  Aasvogel."  Attaching  it  to  the  body  of  the  buggy, 
and  "  Aasvogel's  "  trace  to  the  wheel,  the  two  men 
with  some  difficulty  righted  the  light  trap  and 
succeeded  in  bringing  it  to  land.  Wijnand  at  once 
commenced  to  make  a  temporary  trace  of  the  rope 
and  cleared  away  the  broken  dissel-boom,  after- 
wards patching  up  the  harness  of  the  two  horses. 

The  picture  they  all  presented  sent  Nettie  into 
fits  of  laughter,  but  on  Wijnand' s  face  there  was  no 
responsive  smile.  He  blamed  himself  for  the 
accident,  although  the  girl  tried  her  best  to  convince 
him  that  no  human  being  could  possibly  have 
foreseen  it. 

The  problem  of  dry  clothes  presented  itself.  They 
were  all  wet  through  to  the  skin,  and  there  was  not 
homestead  near. 

Wijnand  did  not  care  about  himself  in  the  least, 
but  could  not  bear  to  think  of  Nettie's  plight.  But 
to  drive  back  to  Cillier's  meant  crossing  the  river 
once  more. 

"  Go  straight  on  to  Sterkfontein,"  said  Nettie. 

"  If  you  don't  mind  waiting  here,  I  mil  send  the 


256  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

boy  back  to  Osfontein  on  Prince — he  could  be  back 
within  the  hour,  I  am  sure  Mrs.  CilHer  would 
gladly  lend  you  some  dry  clothes." 

"  What  is  the  use  of  sending  for  clothes  that  can 
only  arrive  in  an  hour's  time  ?  We  could  be  nearly 
home  by  then,  and,  besides,  Mrs.  Cillier  is  more 
than  twice  my  size.  Imagine  me  in  her  spacious 
gown  and  with  her  huge  cappie  on.  Even  the 
horses  would  laugh  !  No,  if  you  are  ready,  let 
us  start  at  once." 

She  held  out  her  wet  skirts,  and  strutted  about 
for  a  few  paces  in  imitation  of  Mrs.  Cillier' s 
pompous  walk,  and  Wijnand,  in  spite  of  his  distress, 
had  to  laugh  at  her. 

"  And  you,  of  course,  would  dress  up  in  Mr. 
Cillier's  garments  !  "  Nettie  shrieked  with  merri- 
ment. "  You  are  feet  taller,  and  wouldn't  be  able 
to  button  things  at  all.  Your  trousers  would  look 
as  if  they  had  a  quarrel  with  your  boots,  and  your 
coat  would  strain  across  the  back  until  the  seam 
gave  way.  It  is  too  funny !  "  She  laughed  so 
much  that  she  could  not  complete  the  picture. 
Umbwane,  too,  who  had  remounted  Prince,  joined 
in  her  merriment,  although  he  was  beginning  to  feel 
the  cold  considerably. 

Wijnand  helped  Nettie  to  wring  the  water  from 
her  clothes,  and  assisted  her  into  the  cart,  promising 
to  drive  as  fast  as  the  horse  could  travel.  It  was 
almost  dark,  but  that  did  not  trouble  him.  He 
knew  every  stone  on  the  road,  and  understood  his 
team  thoroughly.  By  a  superhuman  effort  he 
climbed  to  his  seat,  and  as  he  took  the  reins  an 
involuntary  groan  escaped  his  lips. 


CROSSING    THE    SPRUIT  257 

In  a  frightened  little  voice  Nettie  asked  her 
companion  whether  he  felt  much  pain,  having  for 
the  last  few  minutes  forgotten  that  he  had  received 
a  bad  kick. 

"  My  side  hurts  dreadfully,"  he  said,  speaking 
slowly  as  though  he  disliked  referring  to  the  disaster. 
"  I  am  afraid  I've  broken  a  rib  or  two." 

Nettie's  face  changed,  and  her  anxiety  and 
sympathy  vibrated  in  her  words  :  "  Let  me  drive, 
Wijnand,  and  you  can  lean  against  me.  It  will  be 
easier  for  you." 

"  No,  no,"  he  answered  firmly.     "  I  will  drive." 

It  was  quite  clear  that  the  plucky  young  Boer 
had  considerable  difficulty  in  sticking  to  his  task. 
His  right  arm  was  practically  useless,  and  every 
jolt  caused  him  agony.  Seeing  this,  Nettie  reached 
over  and  took  the  whip.  Wijnand  smiled  at  her 
as  he  tried  to  show  no  signs  of  the  acute  pain  he  was 
feeling. 

The  horses  were  stepping  out  and  covered  mile 
after  mile  at  a  quick,  regular  trot.  Prince,  at  full 
canter,  followed  the  buggy.  It  was  not  a  typically 
cold  evening,  but  the  motion  created  a  great 
draught  which  soon  turned  the  wet  clothes  to  a 
condition  of  icy  unpleasantness.  Nettie  began 
to  shiver  violently,  and  Wijnand,  with  some  diffi- 
culty, pulled  off  his  coat  and  hung  it  over  her  in  an 
attempt  to  ward  off  the  keen  wind.  She  refused 
to  deprive  him  of  it,  but  he  was  firm  and  made  her 
keep  it. 

Umbwane  had  stripped  to  the  waist  and  was 
much  more  comfortable,  and  were  it  not  for  the 
presence  of  Nettie  Wijnand  would  have  done  the 


258  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

same.  As  it  was,  he  drove  all  the  faster  to  reach 
his  journey's  end,  and  as  he  predicted,  did  the 
distance  in  less  than  two  hours. 

Hardly  a  word  passed  between  them  towards 
the  last,  and  it  was  only  when  nearing  the  home- 
stead that  Wijnand  asked  the  girl  how  she  felt. 

"  Thankful  to  be  nearly  home,"  was  her  spiritless 
reply.  "  You  had  better  take  your  coat  again, 
I  shall  never  forgive  myself  for  taking  it  from  you." 

"  What  nonsense  !  I  forced  it  upon  you,  and 
haven't  felt  the  want  of  it  at  all.  Don't  take  it  off 
until  we  stop." 

"  And  you,  Wijnand  ?  Is  your  side  very  bad  ? 
I  am  so  sorry  about  it." 

"  It  is  painful,"  he  said,  drawing  his  breath  in 
curious  httle  gasps.  "  I  am  getting  so  stiff,  too. 
I  find  it  difficult  to  move." 

Exposed  to  the  continual  draught  their  outer 
garments  had  become  quite  dry,  and  but  for  the 
mud  upon  them,  no  one  would  have  guessed  that 
they  had  had  a  ducking  in  the  river. 

As  usual  the  dogs  heralded  the  approach  of  the 
travellers,  and  as  they  pulled  up  quite  a  little  group 
stood  on  the  stoep  to  welcome  them,  amongst  them 
Tante  Let — Tante  Let,  looking  almost  herself  again ! 

Wijnand  wanted  to  jump  down,  but  found  that 
he  was  almost  unable  to  move.  He  had  to  be 
helped  out  by  Gijs.  Nettie,  also,  was  so  cramped 
and  stiff  with  cold  that  she  had  considerable  diffi- 
culty in  chmbing  from  the  buggy  to  the  ground. 

Wijnand,  leaning  heavily  on  Gijs,  collapsed  into 
a  chair.  He  had  fainted  after  the  strain  he  had  met 
so  bravely. 


CROSSING   THE    SPRUIT  259 

In  a  moment  Tante  Let  was  all  action,  and  order- 
ing Gijs  to  carry  Wijnand  to  bed,  she  soon  had  the 
young  man  stripped  of  the  mud-stained  clothes 
which  had  become  such  a  burden  and  pain.  Exam- 
ining the  terrible  bruise,  which  was  already  swollen 
and  black,  she  at  once  prescribed  fomentations. 

Wijnand  revived  under  the  movement  of  being 
undressed,  and  told  Gijs  and  Du  Plessis  all  about 
the  accident.  Tante  Let  commenced  operations 
and  presently  had  the  young  man  warmly  wrapped 
up.  Hot  coffee  and  a  special  brew  of  the  old  lady's 
was  brought  to  him,  and  her  kindly  eyes  saw  to 
it. that  it  was  finished  off  to  the  last  drop. 

The  news  of  the  calamity  in  town  had  reached 
Sterkfontein  but  sketchily,  and  Nettie  had  to  go 
over  every  detail  once  more.  In  recounting  all 
that  had  happened  she  worked  herself  and  her 
hearers  into  such  a  state  of  excitement  that  both 
she  and  her  listeners  forgot  her  drenched  state 
altogether.  It  was  only  after  all  was  told  that  her 
mother  remembered,  and  took  the  girl  to  change 
her  things.  The  tension  of  meeting  her  own  people 
and  recounting  the  great  events,  and  the  reviving 
cup  of  coffee  handed  to  her  by  the  thoughtful 
Tante  Let,  restored  Nettie  to  an  almost  normal 
condition.  Like  all  Boer  girls  she  was  used  to  an 
outdoor  hfe,  and  inured  to  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold.  Beyond  a  temporary  stiffness  of  the  limbs 
she  soon  felt  no  discomfort. 

Tante  Let  had  got  up  about  noon  that  day, 
feeling  rested  and  recovered. 

After  Nettie  had  rested  awhile,  Du  Plessis  spoke 
of  returning   home,   but   Tante   Let   immediately 


26o  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

vetoed  the  idea,  saying  that  she  would  not  hear  of 
it.  Her  experienced  eye  had  noticed  that  the  girl 
was  completely  worn  out,  and  she  feared  that  any 
further  demands  on  her  strength  might  have  serious 
results. 

"  Leave  Nettie  with  me  for  a  few  days,"  said 
Tante  Let,  in  the  tone  of  one  who  does  not  mean 
to  take  a  refusal.  "  I'll  see  that  she  has  a  thorough 
rest." 

Du  Plessis,  with  a  view  to  future  possibihties, 
never  objected  to  Nettie  visiting  Tante  Let,  and 
remaining  as  long  as  she  desired.  He  conceded  the 
point,  therefore,  very  warmly,  and  presently  took 
his  departure,  carrying  his  reluctant  wife  with 
him. 

As  soon  as  they  had  gone  Nettie  was  ordered  off 
to  bed,  and  given  a  dose  from  Tante  Let's  "  Huis 
Apotheek."  The  dose  must  have  contained  some 
very  strong  ingredients,  for  although  Nettie  declared 
that  she  knew  the  events  of  the  day  would  keep 
her  from  sleep,  she  very  soon  fell  off  into  a  deep 
sleep,  from  which  she  did  not  waken  until  the  sun 
was  up. 

Tante  Let  shared  the  room  with  Nettie,  and  every 
now  and  then  throughout  the  night  she  got  up  and 
went  to  her  son's  bedroom  to  see  if  Gijs  was  looking 
after  the  patient  properly. 

Wijnand  lay  in  a  state  of  great  exhaustion.  His 
temperature  had  risen  considerably,  and  was  now 
dangerously  high.  Gijs  and  his  mother  became 
more  and  more  concerned  as  the  sick  man  moved 
painfully  and  occasionally  rambled  in  his  speech. 

The   following  morning   Wijnand  was   suffering 


CRC^ING   THE    SPRUIT  261 

excruciating  agony,  and  the  dry  flush  in  his  cheeks 
and  the  hot  feehng  of  his  skin  were  sure  signs  to 
the  experienced  Tante  Let  that  he  was  in  a  high 
fever,  and  required  constant  attention. 

The  fatigue  of  the  experiences  before  he  had  met 
with  Nettie,  and  the  accident  in  the  river,  followed 
by  the  trying  drive  in  soaked  clothes,  had  told  upon 
Wijnand's  constitution,  never  of  the  really  robust 
type.  Nature  was  struggling  hard  to  meet  the 
heavy  demands  on  her  resources,  but,  try  as  he  would, 
the  young  man  could  not  rally  from  the  shock. 
The  worst  feature  of  his  case  was  the  injury  to  his 
ribs.  So  tender  was  it  that  anything  but  the  most 
cursory  examination  was  out  of  the  question.  It 
was  evident  that  something  was  broken,  for  Wijnand 
experienced  much  difficulty  in  breathing,  and  had 
commenced  coughing.  Occasionally,  too,  he  spat 
blood,  a  sure  sign  of  internal  injury.  At  this  Tante 
Let  became  seriously  alarmed,  and  sent  Jantje 
post-haste  to  Boshoek  to  summon  the  Brandts. 

It  was  then  very  early,  and  it  was  to  be  expected 
that  the  anxious  parents  would  come  at  once.  To 
Tante  Let's  surprise  they  did  not  arrive.  Quarter 
of  an  hour  slipped  by  quarter  of  an  hour — and  still 
no  sign  of  the  expected  buggy  !  Gijs  wanted  to  fire 
his  gun, — a  well-known  summons,  but  his  mother 
feared  that  the  report  would  rouse  Wijnand,  and 
throw  him  into  a  still  higher  state  of  fever. 

At  last  some  carts  were  sighted  on  the  horizon, 
and  as  they  came  nearer  Gijs  noticed  a  number  of 
men  surrounding  the  caravan.  He  drew  his  mother's 
attention  to  this,  and  together  they  puzzled  over  its 
meaning.    There  was  no  sale   or  funeral  in  the 


262  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

neighbourhood.  What  could  be  the  cause  of  such 
a  gathering  ? 

The  two  Cape  carts  were  undoubtedly  those  of 
Brandt  and  Du  Plessis,  and  some  of  the  horses  under 
saddle  Gijs  recognised,  but  the  other  riders  and 
horses  were  unknown  to  him. 

When  the  little  cavalcade  drew  near  Gijs  noticed 
that  many  of  the  men  wore  police  uniforms,  and  he 
wondered  more  than  ever.  Something  of  a  serious 
nature  must  be  afoot. 

The  riders  drew  rein,  and  quick  as  lightning  Brandt 
jumped  out  of  his  cart.  Going  to  Gijs  he  whispered 
something  in  his  ear. 

"  Are  you  Gijsbert  Uijs  of  Sterkfontein  ?  " 
inquired  the  Chief  of  Police. 

"  I  am,"  answered  Gijs,  quietly. 

"  Then  I  arrest  you  in  the  name  of  Her  Majesty 
the  Queen  for  the  murder  of  Piet  Platje,  Klaas 
Windogel,  Banja  Lakik,  Stuurman  Bokoor  and 
others.  And  I  warn  you  that  you  need  not  say 
anything,  and  that  whatever  you  do  say  will  be  used 
in  evidence  against  you."  Gijs  stared  at  him,  too 
astonished  to  reply. 

"  Is  Wijnand  Brandt,  of  Boshoek,  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  he  is  very  ill  in  bed,"  Tante  Let, 
intervening,  spoke  sharply. 

"  I  am  sorry,  but  I  have  to  arrest  him  also." 

A  chorus  of  exclamations  went  up  at  once  from 
Tante  Let  and  Nettie,  and  the  former  exclaimed 
excitedly  :  "  You  cannot  arrest  him  !  You  cannot ! 
He  is  dangerously  ill,  having  been  badly  kicked  in 
an  accident  with  his  buggy.     He  is  dehrious." 

As  she  spoke  the  sick  man  could  be  heard  quite 


CROSSING    THE    SPRUIT  263 

plainly  talking  to  himself  and  mythical  people  around 
his  bed.  Turning  quickly,  the  old  lady  left  the 
stoep  and  hurried  in  to  attend  to  her  patient.  The 
police-officer  fell  back  a  pace  with  a  puzzled  expres- 
sion on  his  usually  imperturbable  face,  and,  after 
consulting  with  a  subordinate,  said  :  "I  have  to  do 
my  duty.  I  must  see  Wijnand  Brandt,  and  go 
through  the  formality  of  arrest,  and  as  the  charge  is 
a  capital  one  I  shall  be  obliged  to  leave  a  guard 
here." 

Gijs,  interposing,  remarked  dryly :  "  He  cannot 
be  moved.     You  can  satisfy  yourself." 

■Going  towards  the  door  indicated  by  a  wave  of  the 
hand  the  police-officer  entered  the  house  and  carried 
out  his  task.  Returning  he  asked  Gijs  if  any  one 
had  been  sent  to  fetch  a  doctor,  for  it  was  indis- 
pensable that  a  medical  certificate  should  be  ob- 
tained. 

"  We  expect  Doctor  Hanau  any  moment,"  said 
Nettie.  "  He  promised  to  come  as  soon  as  ever  his 
duties  in  town  allowed  him  to  get  away." 

Turning  to  Brandt,  Gijs,  who  had  been  too 
astonished  to  say  much,  exclaimed  :  "  What  does 
it  all  mean  ?  " 

"  Some  one  has  informed  against  us  !  "  said  Brandt 
bitterly.  "If  I  only  had  the  swine  here  now ! 
Our  humane  Government  allow  the  Bushmen  to 
murder  us  with  impunity,  but  when  we  defend 
ourselves  against  the  vermin  we  are  arraigned  for 
murder  !  " 


CHAPTER    XVII 

THE    LAW    MOVES 

THE  mournful  aspect  that  the  Httle  town  of 
Victoria  West  presented  for   days   after 
the  flood  still  survives  in  the  memories  of 
the  inhabitants,  and  will  do  so  for  many 
a  year  to  come. 

All  shops,  stores,  and  other  business-houses  were 
closed  ;  work  of  every  nature  was  entirely  neglected, 
even  that  of  such  vital  importance  as  trying  to  repair 
the  damage  wrought  by  the  water. 

Numbers  of  people  were  still  coming  in  from  the 
country.  Some  had  lost  relatives  and  friends ; 
others  had  near  and  dear  ones  living  in  town,  who 
seemed  doubly  valuable  by  reason  of  their  miraculous 
escape  from  death. 

Since  the  morning  of  the  flood  the  news  had  been 
sent  to  all  the  neighbouring  towns,  and  almost 
every  minister  in  the  vicinity  of  each  out- 
dorp  desired  to  take  part  in  the  funeral  service. 

The  Kerkraad,  hastily  summoned  for  the  purpose, 
dehberated  upon  the  best  method  of  conducting  the 
interment  of  so  large  a  number  of  bodies  in  one  day. 
It  was  decided  by  the  august  body  to  hold  one 
service  only,  and  to  bury  as  many  of  the  victims  as 
was  possible  in  one  grave.     If,  of  course,  there  were 

264 


THE    LAW   MOVES  265 

representatives  of  any  of  the  drowned  who  wished 
for  separate  burials,  the  Kerkraad  undertook  to 
help  further  the  arrangements,  and  provide  a  suit- 
able minister. 

At  ten  o'clock  one  sunny  morning  the  Httle  church 
was  crowded  to  suffocation  with  a  grief-stricken 
congregation  listening  to  the  impressive  utterances 
of  three  pastors,  who  each  spoke,  in  turn,  words  of 
comfort  and  consolation. 

After  the  service,  a  long  procession,  headed  by 
ox-waggons  doing  duty  as  hearses,  marched  slowly 
to  the  churchyard,  followed  by  the  simply-clad  Boer 
citizens  and  their  families. 

The  rough,  hastily-made  coffins  were  reverently 
removed,  and  placed  in  rows  at  the  open  graveside. 

The  work  of  lowering  these  into  the  earth  occupied 
some  considerable  time,  and  the  tearful  onlookers 
stood  patiently  awaiting  the  committal. 

When  the  last  coffin  was  lowered,  one  of  the 
ministers,  an  old  man  with  a  patriarchal  white  beard, 
mounted  the  heaped-up  ground  by  the  side  of  the 
grave,  and  in  a  voice  shaken  by  emotion,  asked 
the  audience  to  sing  a  verse  from  the  funeral  hymn  : 

"  Vrome,  vroeg  gestorven  vrienden  ! 
Slechts  zijt  gy  mij  wat  vooruit, 
'K  zal  u  alien  wedervinden, 
Als  ons  Jezuz  't  graf  outsluit ; 
•'Eerlang  zal  ik  met  u  rusten, 
'K  rijp  al  vast  voor  d'eeuwigheid, 
'K  Staar  vast  op  die  blyde  kusten, 
Daar  my  't  hoogst  geluk  verbeidt." 

The  old  sexton,  in  quavering  voice,  commenced 
the  hymn,  and  some  hundreds  of  voices  joined  in, 
all  singing  more  or  less  in  subdued  tones. 


266  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Magnificent  and  appropriate  as  the  words  are,  to 
appreciate  the  hymn  fully  it  should  be  heard  from 
a  distance  when  sung  in  the  open  by  a  large  number 
of  people. 

The  deep  tones  flooded  the  air  in  volumes  of 
glorious  sound,  and  rose  and  fell  in  waves  of  har- 
mony, like  the  vibrating  roll  of  a  great  organ. 

Nothing  stirs  the  simple,  unimaginative  Boer  to 
such  an  ecstasy  of  emotion  as  the  singing  of  this 
indescribably  affecting  funeral  hymn. 

When  all  was  over  the  pastor  dismissed  the  people 
with  a  benediction,  and  the  mourners  quietly  and 
reverently  departed,  leaving  their  dead  in  their  last 
long  sleep. 

Now  that  the  funeral  was  over  the  town  quickly 
assumed  a  livelier  aspect.  By  the  late  afternoon 
shop  doors  were  thrown  open  to  receive  customers  ; 
carpenters  and  masons  were  busily  repairing  dam- 
aged buildings  in  an  endeavour  to  prevent  total 
collapse,  and  the  streets  were  alive  with  people. 

During  the  time  the  stores  were  closed,  Tukie, 
with  an  eye  to  the  main  chance,  had  worked  hard 
to  clear  the  mud  from  his  shop,  and  had  carefully 
cleaned  all  such  goods  as  were  not  rendered  utterly 
valueless  by  the  water.  As  soon  as  business  com- 
menced once  more  he  hung  above  his  door  a  large 
board,  upon  which  he  had  painted  in  uneven  letters 
the  words  :  "  Sale  of  damaged  goods  at  desperate 
reductions,"  and  while  the  other  storekeepers  were 
still  engaged  in  clearing  away  the  mud  and  debris, 
Tukie  was  seUing  out  as  fast  as  his  staff  could  work 
at  what  he  called  "  rock-bottom  prices." 

Whether  it  was  the  new  signboard  over  the  door. 


THE    LAW   MOVES  267 

or  the  bargain-hunting  fever,  that  attracted  the 
crowd,  his  rivals  could  not  say,  but  certain  it  was 
that  Tukie's  shop  became  more  and  more  con- 
gested every  minute. 

Each  would-be  purchaser  wanted  damaged  goods 
only,  and  when  the  astute  Jew  found  that  his  stock 
was  in  imminent  danger  of  running  out,  he  kept  up 
the  supply  by  immersing  untouched  bales,  and 
every  sort  and  kind  of  useful  commodity,  in  a  tub 
of  muddy  water  artfully  concealed  in  an  adjoining 
room. 

The  demand  was  great,  but  the  adroit  Tukie  kept 
pace  with  it,  and  no  matter  what  was  required,  it  was 
forthcoming. 

As  usual,  the  little  Jew  himself  was  not  serving. 
He  roamed  in  and  out  of  the  crowd,  wringing  his 
hands  and  bemoaning  his  fate,  declaring  that  he 
was  completely  ruined,  all  the  while  keeping  a 
sharp  look-out  to  see  that  customers  did  not  pilfer 
anything  in  the  crush  and  confusion. 

When  at  last  the  other  storekeepers  made  ready 
to  offer  damaged  goods  at  reduced  prices  Tukie  was 
sold  clean  out,  and  everybody  had  purchased  all 
they  wanted,  and  a  great  deal  more. 

Tukie  continued,  as  ever,  to  puzzle  his  rivals  and 
the  general  public.  When  he  arrived  in  Victoria 
West,  six  years  previously,  he  had  nothing,  and 
made  a  living  by  wandering  from  farm  to  farm 
peddling  knick-knacks  and  oddments  to  please 
farmers'  wives  and  children.  Now  he  was  prosper- 
ous, and  had  the  largest  and  busiest  store  in  town. 

He  sold  cheaper  than  any  one  else,  and  yet  paid 
higher  prices  for  wool  and  produce.    How  did  he 


268  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

do  it  ?  His  bankruptcy  was  predicted  again  and 
again  by  all  who  knew  the  secrets  of  the  trade,  but 
without  reaUzation  as  yet.  His  estabHshmentJgrew 
and  grew ;  he  gave  credit  for  twelve  months  and 
more.  What  was  the  reason  of  Tukie's  popularity  ? 
Nobody  could  guess. 

The  Boer  is  supposed  to  be  wily  and  cute,  and  has 
gained  for  himself  the  epithet  of  "  slim,"  but  com- 
pared with  the  cunning  Jew  he  is  a  mere  child.  The 
Boer  has  inherited  from  his  Huguenot  and  old  Dutch 
voortrekker  forbears  a  trait  of  character  which 
means,  if  we  could  translate  it,  "  Trust  me  and  I 
will  trust  you."  The  Jew,  not  slow  to  read  the 
signs,  takes  all  advantage,  to  the  ultimate  discom- 
fort of  the  "  slim "  Boer,  whose  acumen  is  not 
directed  to  money  matters  outside  farming  affairs. 

England,  with  true  diplomatic  foresight,  has 
extended  to  the  conquered  Boer  her  full  confidence 
and  trust,  and  the  time  will  come  when  she  will 
have  cause  to  congratulate  herself  upon  the  wisdom 
of  her  liberal  policy,  in  spite  of  a  few  short-sighted 
politicians  who  try  to  sow  dissension  and  disunion 
on  the  "  All  take  and  no  give  "  principle. 

Undoubtedly  Tukie's  sale  was  a  success,  if 
persuading  a  man  to  buy  things  he  does  not  want 
counts.  The  more  Tukie  declared  that  he  was 
absolutely  giving  things  away,  the  more  customers 
assisted  him  by  carrying  them  off.  And  the  little 
Jew  gave  three  months'  credit  to  all  good  customers. 

He  trusted  the  Boers  and  the  Boers  trusted  him, 
and  paid  their  accounts  with  wool  and  produce, 
after  which  wily  Tukie  gave  them  something  to 
take  with  them  which  "  might  come  in  useful  in 


THE    LAW   MOVES  269 

times  of  sickness,"  or  trumpery  articles  as  presents 
for  their  families. 

The  day  after  the  funeral  Tukie  was  still  busily 
employed  in  cleaning  the  bales  of  wool  and  hides 
recovered  from  the  river,  when  a  man  on  horseback 
pulled  up  at  the  door.  Dismounting,  the  rider 
threw  the  reins  to  a  servant,  and  walked  through 
the  shop  into  the  private  ofhce  with  an  air  of 
proprietorship. 

Tukie,  looking  up,  recognized  his  visitor  at  once, 
and  throwing  down  his  work  he  hurried  to  his  office 
and  bolted  the  door  behind  him. 

"  Good-mor*ning,  Herman,"  said  the  newcomer, 
familiarly. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  3^ou,  Jacob,"  responded  the 
little  Jew,  shaking  the  proffered  hand. 

"  I  heard  of  the  flood  and  have  come  to  see  how 
you  fared." 

"  First-class,  Jacob,  first-class.  What  you 
think  ? "  Tukie's  face  beamed  with  satisfaction. 
"  To  us  the  flood  has  been  a  stream  of  gold.  I  have 
sold  out  every  scrap  of  our  old  stock  as  damaged 
goods,  and  could  have  sold  more  had  there  been 
more  to  sell." 

"  Well  done,  Herman.  I  knew  you  would  be 
wide  awake  as  you  always  are."  Jacob  rubbed  his 
hands  in  satisfaction.  The  smile  on  his  face 
broadened,  and  his  keen  grey  eyes  narrowed,  whilst 
his  large  crooked  nose  seemed  to  become  more 
prominent  by  contrast. 

"  Did  you  take  much  in  cash  ?  "  queried  Jacob. 

"  Only  a  few  pounds  from  customers  whom  I  did 
not  dare  to  trust.    As  for  the  others "    Tukie's 


270    THE    BREATH    OF   THE    KARROO 

hands  went  up,  palms  outwards,  as  if  to  ward  off 
a  calamity,  "  if  they  all  paid  cash  at  the  prices  I 
sold  at  we  should  lose  heavily,  but  in  twelve  months' 
time  things  will  be  different.     What  you  think  ?  " 

No  one  would  ever  have  thought  that  Herman 
(otherwise Tukie)  Tugendreich  and  Jacob  Friedenthal 
were  partners.  The  latter  rarely  appeared  in  the 
district,  and  nothing  was  known  of  him,  not  even  his 
name.  Occasionally,  when  some  farmer  had  to  pay 
up  some  heavy  shop  account,  he  opportunely  came 
upon  the  scene  and  generously  offered  to  provide  the 
money  on  a  mortgage  bond,  which  would  never  be 
called  in  so  long  as  the  interest  was  paid. 

He  always  declared  that  he  had  no  money  of  his 
own  to  invest,  but  for  a  nominal  commission  of 
five  per  cent,  he  was  usually  able  to  raise  a  loan 
from  the  firm  of  Moses  and  Company,  who  were 
his  staunch  friends.  He  did  not,  of  course,  think 
it  necessary  to  mention  the  fact  that  Moses  and 
Company  were  in  reality  Tugendreich  and  Fried- 
enthal. 

"  And  so  Andries  Witte  is  drowned  ?  "  said  Jacob. 

"  Yes,  poor  fellow.  I  don't  know  however  he 
got  out  of  his  room.  A  short  time  before  the  flood 
came  I  had  peeped  in  and  saw  him  lying  on  the 
bed.  I  thought  he  was  asleep.  Later,  when  I  sent 
some  boys  to  rescue  him,  he  was  gone.  What  you 
think?  " 

"  I  think  it  is  good  riddance,  Herman.  He  was 
getting  very  troublesome,  and  had  even  threatened 
to  shoot  me.  Moses  and  Company  were  just  about 
to  call  in  their  bond,  and  that  would  have  caused 
a  ruction.    Now  his  estate  must  be  settled  in  the 


THE    LAW   MOVES  271 

usual  way  and  nobody  can  dispute  accounts.     His 
death  is  our  gain,  and  the  best  way  out  of  it  for  us." 

"  You  are  right,  Jacob.  I  beHeve  he  was  cleared 
out  of  every  penny,  and  the  stock  he  has  left  will 
just  about  cover  his  shop  bill.  What  you  think  ? 
There  is  no  knowing  what  trouble  a  man  of  his 
nature  may  give  when  face  to  face  with  bankruptcy. 
Before  he  went  out  to  his  father-in-law's  funeral,  I 
saw  him  in  the  company  of  the  chief  constable,  and 
while  he  was  away  I  saw  his  servant  Oukop  in  town, 
and  the  chief  constable  had  an  interview  with  him. 
What  you  think  ?  " 

A  guilty  conscience  pricks.  When  Jacob  heard 
the  police  mentioned  he  gave  a  nervous  start  and 
turned  quite  pale.  He  related  to  Tukie  the  substance 
of  his  last  interview  with  Witte,  and  how  he  had 
thoughtlessly  threatened  him  with  the  law.  It  was 
Tukie' s  turn  to  become  uneasy,  and  when  Jacob 
had  told  him  everything  he  could  find  nothing  to 
say  beyond  his  tiresome  exclamation,  "  What  you 
think  ?  " 

"  We  have  to  be  very  careful,  Herman,  and  the 
sooner  I  move  on  the  better." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  two  returned  to  the  shop, 
and  at  once  assumed  their  role  of  strangers.  Jacob 
affected  to  be  searching  the  shop  for  some  article  he 
needed,  and  Tukie  dusted  the  bales  of  wool  vigor- 
ously. 

Suddenly  the  chief  constable  walked  into  the 
store,  followed  by  Oukop.  As  soon  as  the  latter 
caught  sight  of  Friedenthal  he  pointed  to  him  excit- 
edly, crying  :  "  That's  the  man.  Baas  !  That's 
the  man  !  " 


272  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

The  police  officer  walked  up  to  Jacob  and  said 
sharply  :    "  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

Friedenthal  gave  Oukop  a  venomous  glance  as 
he  answered  :   "  Why  do  you  want  to  know  ?  ' 

"  My  reasons  are  good  ones,"  said  the  constable, 
smiHng  a  little.  "  If  you  will  come  with  me  to  my 
office  I  shall  be  able  to  satisfy  you  on  the  point." 

His  calm  decisive  manner  convinced  Friedenthal 
that  dallying  would  be  suspicious,  and  as  there  were 
many  people  in  the  store  at  the  time,  he  thought 
discretion  the  better  part  of  valour.  Very  quietly  he 
intimated  his  willingness  to  follow. 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  but  first  you  must  kindly 
allow  me  to  settle  for  a  few  articles  I  have  bought." 

He  beckoned  Tukie  to  one  side,  and  under 
pretence  of  handing  over  some  money,  transferred 
to  the  Jew  a  bundle  of  papers  he  brought  out  of 
his  breast  pocket,  charging  him,  at  the  same  time, 
to  keep  the  documents  under  lock  and  key. 

"  Above  all,  Herman,  deny  all  knowledge  of  me, 
either  privately  or  in  business.  Then,  if  anything 
happens  to  me,  the  business  can  go  on  as  usual." 

The  warning  was  timely,  for  Tukie,  who  was  no 
actor,  was  getting  tremendously  excited,  and  his 
round  eyes  were  dilated  to  their  fullest  extent  with 
fright,  and  it  was  only  with  the  greatest  possible 
effort  that  he  could  assume  any  semblance  of  out- 
ward calm.  Friedenthal,  on  the  contrary,  was  as 
cool  as  the  proverbial  cucumber.  By  long  practice 
he  had  gained  complete  mastery  over  his  emotions. 

Nodding  stiffly  to  Tukie,  Jacob  joined  the  officer, 
who  stood  waiting  on  the  door-step,  and  together 
they  walked  away.     As  soon  as  they  quitted  the 


THE    LAW    MOVES  273 

shop  Tukie  rushed  distractedly  into  the  yard.  The 
dramatically  sudden  arrest  of  his  partner  was  a 
thunderclap  to  him,  and  as  he  did  not  know  the 
nature  of  the  charge,  he  was  in  terrible  suspense, 
fearing  that  he  himself  might  be  involved  in  some 
way. 

The  average  Jew,  since  the  days  of  Shylock,  is 
supposed  to  be  as  parsimonious  as  he  is  covetous, 
but  covetous  as  he  is,  he  would  far  sooner  part  with 
a  large  sum  of  money  than  face  the  music  of  a  trial 
by  jury. 

After  waiting  an  agonized  hour,  vainly  expecting 
his  partner's  return,  Tukie  could  endure  the  suspense 
no  longer,  and  decided  to  consult  Mr.  Robart,  who 
might  be  able  to  give  some  legal  advice  on  the  case. 
He  was  anxious  to  find  out  whether  anything  was 
known  of  the  arrest,  so  that  he  might  the  better 
judge  whether  any  danger  threatened  him  per- 
sonally. 

Mr.  Robart  was  closeted  with  a  number  of  people 
in  his  private  office.  For  all  that  Tukie  knocked 
impatiently,  and,  receiving  no  answer,  kept  on 
knocking  until  the  door  was  opened. 

The  old  lawyer  came  out  with  a  frown  on  his 
face,  closing  the  door  after  him.  The  frown,  how- 
ever, soon  disappeared,  for  Mr.  Robart  was  the 
kindest-hearted  man  alive,  and  nobody  feared  his 
anger  in  the  least. 

"  What  on  earth  are  you  hammering  at  my  door 
for,  Tukie?  Can't  you  see  that  I'm  engaged?  " 
Mr.  Robart's  kindly  eyes  belied  the  severity  of  his 
tone.     "  Now,  what  is  it  ?  " 

Tukie  apologized  confusedly  for  the  disturbance, 


274  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

and  told  the  lawyer  of  the  arrest  of  a  customer 
in  his  store,  and  asked  the  particulars  of  the  charge. 

"  How  the  deuce  can  I  tell  you  ?  The  police 
don't  come  and  tell  me  all  they  have  up  their 
sleeves  against  criminals.  In  what  way  does  it 
affect  you  ?  " 

"  It  gives  my  shop  a  bad  name  to  have  people 
arrested  there.     What  you  think  ?  " 

"  Rubbish !  Your  shop's  name  cannot  be  any 
worse  than  it  is,  so  don't  worry  about  that.  Who 
and  what  is  the  man  whom  the  police  arrested  ?  " 

"  I  only  know  that  his  name  is  Friedenthal,  and 
that  he  speculates,"  answered  Tukie,  guardedly. 

"  Oh,  that  Jew  with  the  big  nose  !  I  am  glad, 
Tukie,  and  I  hope  the  police  will  take  him  and  all 
the  rest  of  the  Jews  in  South  Africa,  and  sentence 
them  to  another  forty  years'  march  in  the  wilder- 
ness." The  old  lawyer  chuckled,  and  his  eyes 
danced  with  fun.  Tukie  saw  that  Mr.  Robart  knew 
nothing  whatever  of  the  arrest,  so  took  the  banter 
in  the  same  spirit  as  it  was  meant,  and  returned  to 
his  shop. 

The  arrest  of  a  white  man  in  a  small  country 
town  always  creates  a  certain  amount  of  interest, 
and  it  was  not  very  surprising  to  Mr.  Robart  that 
Tukie  should  question  him  about  the  matter. 
Pondering  for  a  moment  he  stood  where  the  little 
Jew  had  left  him,  and  then  walked  back  into  the 
private  office,  leaving  the  door  open.  He  did  not 
take  a  seat,  but  strode  up  and  down  before  his 
desk  as  he  addressed  a  number  of  waiting  clients. 

"  As  I  was  saying  when  that  Jew  interrupted  me, 
we  may  think  what  we  like,  but  it  is  not  always 


THE   LAW   MOVJES  275 

politic  to  put  our  thoughts  into  words.  It  is  a 
serious  accusation  against  an  heir  to  say  that  he 
destroyed  a  codicil  unless  very  clear  proof  is  forth- 
coming. Even  if  the  heir  be  dead  we  must  remem- 
ber that  he  has  legal  descendants  who  will  represent 
him  in  case  of  a 6  intestato  administration.  For- 
tunately we  all  know  the  contents  of  the  late  Koos 
Hough's  will,  and  I  can  re- write  it  word  for  word, 
and  I  am  sure  that  the  Court  will,  on  application, 
allow  the  dead  man's  wishes  to  be  carried  out." 

Some  of  the  heirs  secretly  rejoiced  at  the  unex- 
pected prospect  of  sharing  equally  with  others  in 
the  distribution  of  the  estate,  and  the  lawyer's 
intention  of  applying  for  authority  to  administer  the 
will  in  the  terms  of  the  lost  codicil  met  with  strong 
opposition,  but  as  there  were  others  who  insisted 
upon  the  apphcation  being  made,  the  opponents 
gradually  and  reluctantly  gave  in  for  fear  of  drawing 
suspicion  upon  themselves. 

"  We  shall  not  have  to  wait  long  before  the 
petition  can  be  presented.  I  will  have  the  papers 
ready  for  your  signatures  in  about  three  days' 
time." 

Mr.  Robart  intimated  in  a  polite  manner  that 
the  interview  was  at  an  end,  and  the  gathering 
broke  up.  Just  as  the  lawyer  was  shaking  hands 
with  the  last  of  his  cHents,  Tukie  again  uncere- 
moniously broke  into  the  office,  almost  beside  him- 
self with  excitement. 

"  Please  come  at  once  to  my  yard.  Brandt  and 
some  of  the  other  farmers  are  there  and  want  to 
see  you.  Come  quickly!"  Tukie  stammered  in 
his  agitation,  and  waved  his  arms  as  he  seized  Mr. 


276  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Robart  by  the  coat  sleeve  and  pulled  him  towards 
the  door. 

"  Let  go,  Tukie !  I  will  come  and  see  what  is 
up." 

The  old  lawyer  shook  himself  free  and  Tukie 
backed  hurriedly  over  the  stoep.  Mr.  Robart 
laughed  as  he  bade  goodbye  to  Koos  Hough's  eldest 
daughter :  "If  Tukie  forgets  to  use  his  favourite 
catchword  '  What  you  think  ? '  it  must  be  serious. 
Eh  !  What  you  think  ?  " 

Taking  up  his  hat  the  kindly  lawyer  prepared 
to  follow  Tukie,  who  was  not  in  sight,  and  a  genuine 
surprise  awaited  him.  Two  police  officers,  fully 
armed,  guarded  the  door  leading  to  the  yard. 

"  Hallo,  what  have  we  here  !  Has  our  Jewish 
friend  been  up  to  some  pranks  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  officer,  grinning  broadly, 
"  but  he  is  in  such  a  state  of  mind  that  one  might 
almost  connect  him  with  the  matter  in  hand.  There 
are  some  men  in  there  who  wish  to  see  you,  sir." 
He  pointed  to  a  room  at  the  door  of  which  another 
policeman  was  standing. 

Mr.  Robart  passed  in  and  found  himself  in  the 
presence  of  Brandt,  Gijs,  Du  Plessis,  Venter,  and 
two  or  three  other  young  farmers. 

Brandt,  as  usual,  acted  as  spokesman,  and  ex- 
plained the  situation.  They  wished  the  lawyer 
to  apply  for  bail,  and  to  undertake  their  defence. 

"  I  am  afraid,"  said  Mr.  Robart,  "  that  the 
Magistrate  cannot  admit  you  to  bail.  You  see, 
this  is  a  capital  charge.  And  by  the  time  your 
application  for  bail  reaches  Capetown  for  presenta- 
tion to  the  Supreme  Court,  your  trial  will  have 


THE    LAW   MOVES  277 

begun  in  Beaufort  West.  The  Circuit  Court  sits 
there  in  about  three  weeks'  time.  The  best  plan 
will  be  to  try  and  hurry  on  the  prehminary  hearing 
before  the  Magistrate  here,  otherwise  we  may  be 
too  late  for  the  ensuing  Circuit  Court,  which  would 
mean  another  six  months'  delay." 

This  was  a  whacking  blow  to  all  the  men,  who 
had  promised  their  families  they  would  get  bailed 
out  and  return  to  their  homes  at  once.  Their 
incarceration  would  cause  serious  inconvenience, 
as  some  of  the  women  left  alone  on  the  farms  knew 
nothing  whatsoever  of  the  management  of  stock. 

In  the  days  before  the  estabhshment  of  the  tele- 
graph and  railway,  communication  between  the 
Karroo  and  Capetown  was  very  slow,  and  the  whole 
distance  of  five  hundred  miles  had  to  be  done  by 
post  cart. 

"  How  is  it  that  you  were  brought  to  Tukie's 
yard  instead  of  being  taken  straight  to  gaol  ?  " 
asked  Mr.  Robart. 

"  We  came  in  our  own  carts,  and  asked  the  police 
to  bring  us  here  first  so  that  we  could  put  our  horses 
into  Tukie's  care,"  explained  Brandt.  "  And  whilst 
we  were  here  we  took  the  opportunity  of  seeing  you, 
thinking  we  should  be  admitted  to  bail.  If,  as  you 
say,  it  will  take  some  weeks  before  we  can  be  liber- 
ated, it  is  going  to  be  very  awkward  indeed.  I 
hope  that  the  trial  will  not  be  delayed  beyond  the 
ensuing  Circuit  Court  ?  " 

"  The  time  is  very  short  "  said  the  lawyer,  "  but 
we  can  apply  for  bail  before  the  Circuit  Judge 
should  your  trial  be  put  off  to  the  following 
Circuit." 


278  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

The  police-officer  clattered  in,  saying  that  it 
was  time  to  proceed  to  the  gaol,  and  the  downcast 
httle  party  rose  in  readiness  to  go.  Mr.  Robart 
promised  to  look  them  up  later  on,  to  take  their 
statements  and  prepare  their  defence. 

Tukie,  in  the  meantime,  had  not  been  idle.  He 
dashed  about  the  town  Hke  a  lunatic,  spreading 
the  news  of  the  arrest  of  Brandt  and  his  friends,  and 
collected  a  number  of  the  wealthiest  inhabitants 
to  sign  the  bail  bond. 

Consequently  when  the  party  marched  out  of 
Tukie's  yard  quite  a  crowd  had  gathered  outside 
the  gate.  Everyone  was  wildly  excited  and  the 
utmost  indignation  was  expressed  at  the  detention 
of  the  farmers  for  the  shooting  of  such  scum  of  the 
earth  as  Bushmen,  a  pestilence  to  any  country. 

The  attitude  of  the  Government  in  taking  active 
steps  in  a  matter  so  palpably  to  the  benefit  of  the 
whole  community  was  loudly  condemned,  and  many 
declared  that,  should  the  men  be  convicted,  it 
would  cause  a  general  uprising  among  the  Boers, 
who  would  probably  storm  the  gaol  and  liberate 
the  prisoners. 

On  their  arrival  at  the  Court  House  Brandt  and 
his  men  received  quite  an  ovation  from  the  concourse 
gathered  there  to  cheer  them  up  in  their  unfortunate 
position. 

"  Don't  worry,  Oom  Jan,"  shouted  a  young 
Boer.  "  Nothing  will  happen  to  you.  We  guarantee 
that,  on  our  honour." 

"  If  this  is  the  reward  we  Boers  get  for  making 
the  Karroo  habitable  we  must  sing  a  different 
song  !  "  cried  another. 


THE    LAW   MOVES  279 

"  I  am  sorry  for  the  informer — the  swine  dog ! 
Who  is  he  ?  " 

These  sentences  and  questionings  could  be  heard 
on  every  side  as  the  crowd  jostled  round  the  pohce 
guard. 

At  last,  Brandt,  holding  up  his  hand  for  silence, 
spoke. 

"  My  friends,  we  thank  you  all  very  sincerely 
for  your  kind  demonstration  of  sympathy,  but  I 
earnestly  request  you  to  on  no  account  do  anything 
rash,  as  that  will  only  compHcate  matters  for  us. 
Please  be  natural  in  your  behaviour.  We  fully 
understand  and  share  your  indignation,  but  the 
way  to  argue  with  the  Government  is  not  with 
riotous  words  and  behaviour,  but  by  relying  on 
the  justice  of  the  Crown." 

"  And  in  the  meantime  you  will  all  be  hanged  !  " 
interrupted  some  one. 

Brandt  smiled.  "  Almachte !  No,  my  friend, 
you  are  mistaken.  No  judge  ever  hangs  a  man. 
It  will  be  you,  my  countrymen,  who  will  sit  in 
judgment  over  us  as  jurors.  Let  there  be  order  and 
quietness  now  until  the  trial.  Use  your  common 
sense." 

"  Verdict — Not  Guilty  !  "  shouted  a  bearded  man 
from  the  rear. 

The  chief  constable,  who  had  come  out  during 
Brandt's  address,  and  had  silently  witnessed  the 
scene,  now  ordered  his  guard  to  march  the  prisoners 
into  gaol. 

This  gave  rise  to  a  fresh  outburst  of  indignation 
from  the  crowd,  some  of  whom  tendered  bail  in 
any    amount    the    Magistrate    Uked    to    fix.    The 


28o  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

constable  began  to  show  annoyance  at  the  inter- 
ference, and  injudiciously  made  an  unguarded 
remark,  reflecting  upon  the  want  of  education  in 
the  Karroo  Boer. 

Immediately  a  young  man  pushing  through  the 
mob  with  clenched  fist  ranged  right  up  to  the  officer, 
whom  he  would  undoubtedly  have  struck  had  not 
Brandt  quickly  interposed. 

"  Be  calm,  my  young  friend,"  said  the  farmer, 
"  be  calm,  and  go  back." 

Catching  Brandt's  keen  eyes  the  youth  hesitated : 

"  Will  you  take  an  insult  like  that  from  a  ver- 
domed  rooinek  ?  " 

"  Certainly — when  it  comes  from  a  man  Hke  that !  " 

The  chief  constable  winced  under  the  sting  of 
Brandt's  contemptuous  remark,  and  might  have 
replied  to  it  had  not  Brandt  continued  to  look  him 
straight  in  the  eyes. 

Knowing  the  Boer  nature  very  well,  the  over- 
bearing officer  subsided,  and  turning,  strode  into  his 
private  room. 

The  town  was  all  buzz  and  excitement.  Mr. 
Robart  interviewed  the  accused  in  gaol,  and  read 
over  to  them  the  affidavits  upon  which  they  were 
arrested.  Before  the  day  was  over  everybody  knew 
that  the  late  Andries  Witte  and  his  servant  Oukop 
were  the  chief  informers. 

Witte  did  not  in  any  way  connect  the  men  arrested 
with  the  crime.  His  affidavit  simply  stated  that 
he  was  coerced  by  one  Friedenthal  to  raid  the  neigh- 
bouring cattle  farms,  that  he  had  done  so,  aided  by 
a  number  of  Bushmen,  who  collected  the  cattle, 
and  drove  them  across  the  boundary  of  the  Colony, 


THE    LAW   MOVES  281 

where  they  were  handed  over  by  his  servant  Oukop 
to  Friedenthal,  on  receipt  of  twenty  ryksdaalders 
per  head.  He  added  that  he  was  under  the  influence 
of  Friedenthal,  to  whom  he  owed  large  sums  of 
money,  and  in  fear  of  ruin.  In  making  this  con- 
fession of  guilt  it  was  his  object  to  break  away 
from  a  life  of  crime,  and  obtain  the  protection  of 
the  law. 

Witte  had  been  promised  immunity  from  prose- 
cution if  he  could  produce  evidence  that  would 
convict  the  gang  of  thieves  who  from  time  to  time 
made  predatory  excursions  through  the  district,  an 
undertaking  he  intended  to  fulfil  on  his  return  from 
his  father-in-law's  funeral. 

During  his  absence  the  police  visited  his  farm 
and  interviewed  the  servants.  None  except  Oukop 
knew  anything  of  what  had  transpired,  and  it 
required  a  large  amount  of  persuasion  and  assur- 
ances that  he  would  be  called  as  a  Crown  witness 
before  the  faithful  Hottentot  could  be  brought  to 
say  anything  which  might  in  any  way  implicate 
his  master.  Indeed,  he  only  complied  when  con- 
vinced that  Witte  would  not  suffer  by  the  disclosures. 

When  at  last  Oukop  was  induced  to  speak  he  gave 
particulars  of  a  series  of  thefts  and  swindles  in  which 
his  master  had  taken  part,  under  compulsion  from 
Friedenthal,  who  seemed  to  Oukop  to  possess  some 
peculiar  and  secret  power  over  the  strong-minded 
Witte. 

Oukop  faithfully  described  the  last  raid,  and  told 
the  story  of  the  massacre  in  detail,  mentioning  the 
names  of  Brandt  and  all  those  who  were  with  him. 
Oukop  had  recognised  the  Boers  easily,  as  he  hid 


282  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

in  a  near-by  bush  with  Friedenthal,  who  was  waiting 
at  the  appointed  spot  to  receive  the  cattle. 

He  gave  the  names  of  some  of  the  killed  as  well 
as  those  of  some  other  Bushmen  who  saw  the  whole 
affair  from  afar,  and  these  last  he  undertook  to 
produce  as  Crown  witnesses. 

It  was  on  this  affidavit  that  Brandt  and  the  others 
were  arrested. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

TUKIE  MAKES   A  COUNTER-MOVE 

WHEN  Gijs  realised  that  he  was  arrested 
and  would  be  taken  to  town  under 
escort  like  a  criminal,  there  to  be  put 
on  his  trial,  feelings  of  rebellion  and 
resentment  surged  over  his  bewildered  mind. 
Brandt,  seeing  that  anger  was  taking  possession  of 
the  young  man,  whispered  a  timely  warning  to  be 
calm  and  say  nothing,  Gijs  with  a  look  of  grati- 
tude grasped  the  hand  of  his  friend's  father. 

The  poUce,  who  were  all  men  well  known 
to  the  farmers  of  the  district,  performed  their 
disagreeable  task  as  kindly  as  possible,  being, 
indeed,  in  sympathy  with  the  men  whom  duty 
obliged  them  to  arrest.  The  sergeant,  consulting 
his  watch,  told  Gijs  that  he  would  allow  an  hour's 
grace,  which  would  give  him  ample  time  to  make 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  carrying  on 
of  the  farm. 

Brandt  entered  the  house  to  see  his  son  and 
confer  with  Tante  Let  and  Nettie.  The  rugged  old 
Boer  was  terribly  distressed  to  find  Wijnand  quite 
unable  to  recognise  any  one.  The  poor  fellow  was 
in  a  high  fever,  as,  with  his  fingers  plucking  at  the 
bedclothes,  he  talked  excitedly  and  incoherently. 

283 


284  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Tante  Let,  standing  at  the  bedside,  extended  her 
hand  to  Brandt  with  a  sad  smile  of  welcome  and 
sympathy. 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  come,  Neef  Jan,"  she  said. 
"  I  am  afraid  your  boy  is  sadly  injured." 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  any  danger,  Nicht  Let  ?  " 
the  old  farmer  spoke  thickly. 

Tante  Let  explained  as  well  as  she  could  how 
matters  stood  with  Wijnand,  and  did  her  best  to 
reassure  the  anxious  parent. 

"  I  have  tried  everything  I  could  think  of  to  bring 
down  the  fever,  but  it  remains  the  same,  and  I  fear 
it  may  become  worse  during  the  day.  I  have  sent 
for  your  wife,  and  I  hope  she  will  be  here  soon.  I 
wonder  you  did  not  meet  my  messenger,  Neef 
Jan." 

Brandt  told  her  that  the  police  had  come  to  his 
farm  first,  and  then  had  ridden  on,  taking  him  with 
them  to  the  Du  Plessis  homestead. 

The  old  man  stood  looking  down  on  his  son, 
stroking  his  long  black  beard  the  while.  Troubles 
seemed  to  be  falling  on  him  thick  and  fast,  and  the 
distress  he  felt  showed  itself  plainly  on  his  fine  old 
face.  He  could  see  that  Tante  Let  was  most  seri- 
ously concerned  and  was  herself  looking  poorly, 
having  only  recently  got  up  from  a  sick-bed. 

Brandt  felt  that  he  ought  to  say  something  to 
reassure  her  concerning  the  arrest  of  her  son.  He 
was  in  an  unenviable  predicament,  and  did  not 
quite  know  how  to  begin.  In  casting  about  for  what 
to  say  he  tugged  furiously  at  his  coarse  beard,  until 
Tante  Let,  noticing  his  perplexity  and  hesitation, 
and  understanding  how  much  the  old  man  had  to 


TUKIE    MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE    285 

worry  him,  said,  gently,  "  Tell  me,  Neef  Jan,  what 
is  amiss  ?  You  do  not  think  this  charge  will  prove 
a  serious  one,  do  you  ?  "  Her  kind  eyes  filled  with 
tears. 

"  I  cannot  say,  Nicht  Let.  It  is  more  unpleasant 
than  serious,  I  think,"  Brandt  shook  his  head. 
"  We  did  wrong,  no  doubt,  in  the  eyes  of  the  law  in 
shooting  the  Bushmen  who  murdered  our  children, 
and  we  shall  have  to  answer  for  it," 

"  I  expected  all  along  that  there  would  be  trouble. 
It  was  stupid  of  Gijs  to  pick  up  the  little  Bushmen 
he  found  in  the  Karroo." 

.  Tante  Let  sat  down  heavily,  and  throwing  her 
apron  over  her  head  rocked  to  and  fro  in  her 
distress. 

"  Gijs  acted  unthinkingly,  and  did  what  he 
could  to  make  amends.  Do  not  let  us  blame  him," 
Brandt  spoke  kindly. 

"  It  was  the  beginning  of  the  trouble,  Neef  Jan. 
Since  then  feelings  of  revenge  have  hastened  events. 
What  says  the  Book  ?  '  Vengeance  is  mine  !  I 
will  repay  !  '     It  is  a  judgment  on  us  all." 

"  Well,  we  have  to  be  tried  for  shooting  the 
Bushmen.  Heaven  alone  knows  where  the  authori- 
ties got  their  information  from.  Who  could  have 
informed  against  us  ?  "  Brandt  paused,  as  he  seemed 
to  run  over  in  his  mind  the  possibihty  of  any  neigh- 
bour turning  traitor.  "  I  wish  I  knew  who  the  man 
was  who  was  with  the  Bushmen,  and  escaped  us." 

"  It  matters  Httle.  You  will  know  when  they 
try  you  ?  "  moaned  the  old  woman. 

"  There  is  no  need  to  be  so  concerned  on  our 
account,  Tante  Let.    It  is  usual  in  these  matters 


286  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

for  the  Government  to  make  some  show  of  investi- 
gation. It  is  a  complete  farce,  and  invariably  ends 
in  smoke,  as  our  trial  Vill." 

Brandt  then  told  her  that  he  had  sent  to  Van  der 
Vyver  and  asked  him  to  visit  Sterkfontein  daily  to 
assist  her  on  the  farm. 

Tante  Let,  who  was  doing  her  best  to  be  calm 
and  composed,  broke  down  completely  and  wept 
bitterly  as  she  thought  of  her  only  son  being  under 
arrest  for  murder,  and  taken  to  town  under  police 
escort  as  a  criminal. 

Brandt  was  inured  to  all  manner  of  hardship  and 
could  look  trouble  in  the  face  and  deal  with  it  man- 
fully, but  a  woman  in  tears  always  overpowered 
him.     It  made  him  feel  helpless. 

He  crossed  over  to  the  stout  figure  hunched  up 
in  her  chair,  and,  placing  his  great  hand  on  her 
shoulder,  tried  to  speak,  but  he  could  not  trust  him- 
self to  utter  a  word,  and  after  looking  despairingly 
at  his  son,  who  was  now  breathing  heavily  in  an 
uneasy  slumber,  the  Boer  left  the  room  quietly. 
He  had  to  find  Gijs  and  discuss  and  arrange 
numberless  domestic  affairs  ere  the  farmers  left 
for  gaol. 

Gijs  and  the  rest  were  outside  on  the  stoep,  dis- 
cussing the  situation  in  low  tones.  The  police  stood 
at  some  distance,  or  walked  up  and  down,  and  now 
and  again  made  a  pretence  of  inspecting  some 
farm  implement.  They  wished  to  give  their  prisoners 
freedom  of  opportunity  to  talk  over  the  position 
in  which  they  found  themselves.  Matters  were 
complicated  by  reason  of  Wijnand's  accident,  and 
the  fact  that  nearly  every  man  in  the  immediate 


TUKIE    MAKES    A   COUNTER-MOVE    287 

vicinity  of  Sterkfontein  was  under  arrest.  Many 
families  would  be  left  helpless  and  unprotected — 
the  rehance  to  be  placed  on  native  servants  was 
not  worth  counting. 

Each  farmer  found  consolation  in  the  thought 
that  as  soon  as  they  arrived  in  town  they  would 
be  admitted  to  bail,  and  that  the  moment  the  pre- 
hminary  hearing  of  their  case  was  over  they  could 
hurry  back  to  their  homesteads. 

Gijs  dreaded  the  parting  from  his  mother  ;  the 
idea  of  leaving  her  under  such  circumstances  was 
extremely  distressing.  His  mother  and  Nettie 
comprised  his  whole  world,  and  to  part  from  them 
when  they  were  in  need  of  his  help  was  a  most 
acute  trial  to  his  feehngs. 

He  felt  keenly,  too,  about  Wijnand,  and  deter- 
mined to  try  and  better  things  for  him.  Walking 
over  to  where  the  pohce  officers  were  grouped 
together  he  addressed  the  sergeant  and  commenced 
to  explain  that  if  they  took  him,  Gijs,  away,  there 
would  only  be  two  women  left  on  the  farm.  He 
told  of  Nettie's  journey  to  town  for  a  doctor,  and 
of  the  adventures  she  and  Wijnand  passed  through 
— adventures  which  resulted  in  the  disastrous  acci- 
dent— and  dwelt  on  the  fact  that  there  was  reason 
to  fear  the  worst.  He  spoke  feelingly  of  the  unpro- 
tected state  and  total  helplessness  of  his  mother,  and 
begged  the  officer  to  leave  him  behind. 

The  sergeant  of  police  listened  to  the  pleading 
attentively.  He  could  see  that  the  young  man  was 
in  deadly  earnest  and  spoke  the  truth. 

"  What  you  ask,  young  man,  is  beyond  my  power 
to  grant.    I  have  absolutely  no  say  in  the  matter 


288  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

at  all,  and  have  to  do  my  duty,  however  repugnant 
it  may  be." 

"  I  do  not  mean  that  I  desire  you  to  set  me  free 
from  arrest.  I  ask  you  to  leave  me  behind  for  a 
time,  and  I  will  guarantee  my  appearance  when  I 
am  required.  This  would  enable  me  to  make 
proper  arrangements,  and  I  can  assure  you  I  am 
not  the  man  to  run  away  from  my  trial — no  matter 
what  the  charge  may  be  against  me." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  on  the  matter,  but  you  ask 
an  impossibility.  Believe  me,  I  should  grant 
your  request  this  instant  had  I  the  power  to 
do  so." 

Gijs  could  see  that  the  stalwart  officer  spoke  feel- 
ingly and  that  he  meant  what  he  said. 

"  But  consider  the  consequences  !  My  helpless 
friend  at  death's  door,  and  these  unprotected 
women  with  no  aid  but  that  of  treacherous  natives." 

The  sergeant  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  made 
no  reply. 

"  Surely  if  the  facts  are  explained  you  would  be 
exonerated  from  all  blame,"  pursued  Gijs.  "  Will 
the  law  expose  all  these  people  to  great  danger  in 
order  to  find  out  whether  somebody  has  committed 
a  murder  ?     It  cannot  be  !  " 

"  You  make  it  very  hard  for  me,  young  man.  If 
I  were  to  fall  in  with  your  wishes  it  would  mean  not 
only  dismissal  but  a  charge  of  comphcity  in  the 
crime."  The  officer  walked  away  and  then  suddenly 
turned  round  again  and  strode  up  to  Gijs. 

"  Although  I  cannot  release  any  of  you  you  can 
tell  your  friend  Brandt  that,  if  it  will  make  things 
any  easier,  I  am  willing  to  stop  here  for  a  time,  a 


TUKIE   MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE    289 

whole  day  if  necessary.  At  any  rate  sufficiently 
long  to  enable  you  to  send  to  your  neighbours  for 
assistance." 

Gijs  returned  to  his  friends  to  relate  his  interview 
with  the  police.  They  had  all  gone  indoors,  where 
Tante  Let,  in  spite  of  her  grief,  had  prepared  break- 
fast. But  Gijs  had  no  appetite  at  all,  and  went 
into  his  mother's  room  to  talk  matters  over  with 
her,  walking  in  without  ceremony  and  closing  the 
door  behind  him .  Throwing  his  arms  round  her  neck 
he  kissed  her  tenderly,  as  he  tried  to  cheer  her  by 
referring  to  their  predicament  as  a  huge  joke,  and 
by  putting  the  comic  side  of  the  affair  before  her. 
But  Tante  Let's  mood  remained  unchanged,  though 
she  stroked  his  face  and  told  him  he  was  a  good  boy 
for  endeavouring  to  comfort  her. 

He  told  her  that  there  was  no  immediate  hurry. 
The  police  were  quite  willing  to  remain  awhile,  and 
that  he  would  see  that  help  of  some  sort  was  available 
before  he  left  the  farm. 

They  were  still  discussing  matters  when  the 
rumbUng  of  wheels  and  the  barking  of  dogs  was 
heard  outside,  at  which  welcome  sound  both  Gijs 
and  Brandt  rushed  out,  thinking  that  it  must  be 
Mrs.  Brandt.  It  was  not,  however ;  Doctor  Hanau 
stepped  from  the  cart. 

When  he  saw  so  many  people  collected  at  the 
homestead  he  became  quite  concerned,  assuming 
that  Tante  Let's  illness  had  taken  a  serious  turn, 
until  Gijs  explained  the  situation,  and  expressed  his 
fears  lest  the  shock  of  the  arrest  should  seriously 
injure  his  mother's  health. 

The  doctor  was  amazed  to  hear  of  the  wholesale 


290  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

detention,  but  he  made  little  comment.  Every 
one  came  forward  to  greet  him  with  the  customary 
hand-shake,  and  as  soon  as  this  solemn  rite  was 
over,  he  took  up  his  handbag  and  walked  into  the 
house. 

It  was  a  great  relief  to  Tante  Let  to  see  Doctor 
Hanau  come  into  her  bedroom,  for  she  held  him  in 
high  esteem,  having  assisted  him  in  many  sick 
rooms.  She  had  long  since  come  to  respect  him  for 
his  capabilities  as  a  doctor,  and  for  his  utter  unselfish- 
ness and  gentleness  towards  suffering  humanity. 

Doctor  Hanau  fully  reciprocated  Tante  Let's 
regard,  and  always  called  the  old  Boer  lady  "  a 
mother  in  Israel."  Very  often,  when  he  was  too 
busy  to  attend  a  summons,  he  would  advise  that 
Tante  Let  be  called  in.  "  She  is  as  good  as  a 
doctor,"  he  would  say,  "  and  in  some  cases  far 
better." 

Whilst  Doctor  Hanau  was  busy  examining  the 
patient  Mrs.  Brandt  arrived,  bringing  Mrs.  Van  der 
Vyver  with  her. 

Both  looked  wan  and  miserable,  and  when  Mrs. 
Brandt  met  her  husband  she  burst  out  crying  and 
clung  to  him  in  her  grief.  What  with  her  son  ill 
away  from  home,  and  her  husband  arrested,  she 
had  about  as  much  as  any  woman  could  bear.  Every- 
body sympathised  with  her.  The  news  that  Doctor 
Hanau  had  arrived  and  was  attending  to  Wijnand 
comforted  her  a  Httle,  and  she  followed  her  husband 
into  the  house. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  doctor  emerged  from 
Wijnand' s  room  to  report  progress  to  the  anxious 
group  outside. 


TUKIE    MAKES   A   COUNTER-MOVE    291 

"  Xante  Let  is  all  right.  She  is  a  tower  of  strength 
in  time  of  trouble."  The  doctor  paused  to  light  his 
pipe.  "  She  is  one  in  a  thousand,  one  in  a  thousand. 
As  long  as  Wijnand  is  ill  she  will  nurse  him.  I 
cannot  say  definitely  yet  what  is  wrong  with  Wij- 
nand. He  is  still  sleeping  and  must  on  no  account 
be  wakened,  but  his  temperature  is  abnormally 
high.  His  injury  is  undoubtedly  grave,  and  the 
contused  condition  of  the  bruise  makes  it  impossible 
for  me  thoroughly  to  diagnose  its  extent.  Four 
ribs  appear  to  be  fractured — compound  fractures, 
I  fear,  and  from  the  fact  that  he  expectorates  blood 
one  surmises  that  there  is  internal  comphcation. 
The  high  fever  is  the  result  of  the  exposure,  and  he 
experiences  great  difficulty  in  breathing." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  the  news  of  our  arrest  will 
have  a  bad  effect  on  him,"  said  Brandt. 

"  I  have  given  strict  orders  that  he  is  not  to  be 
told.  Unfortunately  the  police  will  not  consent 
to  leave  one  of  you  behind,  but  as  you  are  able  to 
give  bail  to  any  amount  I  suggest  that  you  proceed 
to  town  at  once,  which  will  enable  you  to  be  back 
in  your  homes  by  to-morrow  night.  If  I  find  it 
necessary  I  will  remain  here  until  you  return." 

"  I  shall  never  forget  your  kindness  !  "  said  Gijs, 
fervently,  grasping  the  old  doctor's  hand. 

Doctor  Hanau  could  not  help  smiling. 

"  You  would  do  the  same  for  me  under  similar 
circumstances,  I  suppose,  wouldn't  you  ?  " 

Gijs  went  to  tell  his  mother  of  the  doctor's  promise. 
He  knew  it  would  be  a  great  comfort  to  her  and 
Mrs.  Brandt. 

Arrangements  were  then  made  for  setting  out 


292  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

immediately,  and  it  was  decided,  after  a  consultation 
with  the  police-sergeant,  to  stay  the  night  at  Osfon- 
tein,  in  order  to  get  into  town  early  in  the  morning, 
and  do  away  with  the  necessity  of  spending  a  night  in 
gaol.  Tante  Let  had  a  hamper  ready  packed  with 
all  sorts  of  provisions  for  the  road,  and  the  party 
made  ready  to  start.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
presence  of  Doctor  Hanau  the  parting  would  have 
been  sad  indeed.  As  it  was  he  treated  the  whole 
matter  lightly,  and  by  doing  so  cheered  up  Tante 
Let  mightily.  When  Brandt  kissed  her — all  her 
friends  kissed  her  on  coming  and  going — she  even 
ventured  on  a  little  pleasantry. 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  arrested  too,  Neef  Jan." 

"  You  astonish  me,  Nicht  Let.  I  thought  you 
were  sorry  for  me." 

"  I  should  have  been  much  sorrier  had  you  not 
been  one  of  the  prisoners.  I  know  now  that  they 
will  be  guided  and  advised  by  a  wise  man." 

"  Now,  now,"  interrupted  Doctor  Hanau.  "  If 
you  flatter  him  like  this,  he  will  become  so  conceited 
that  he  will  make  a  mess  of  things." 

"  Don't  be  jealous,  doctor.  I'll  flatter  you  by 
keeping  you  here  as  a  substitute  for  Neef  Jan  until 
he  returns." 

It  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  journey  to  the 
men,  who  grew  more  and  more  gloomy  as  their 
thoughts  dwelt  on  their  families  left  upon  the  various 
homesteads  in  so  unprotected  a  condition. 

Brandt  began  to  lecture  his  fellow-prisoners  as 
they  rode  along.  He  warned  them  not  to  make 
any  sort  of  statement  to  the  police  or  to  refer  to  the 
case  in  any  way.    Very  often  it  happened  that  but 


TUKIE    MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE    293 

for  some  unguarded  words  dropped  by  a  prisoner 
a  conviction  would  never  have  been  effected. 

The  average  magistrate  of  the  Karroo  at  that  time 
beheved  a  pohceman's  word  against  all  comers,  and 
when  once  his  evidence  was  given  no  statement  by 
the  accused  was  listened  to  for  a  moment.  It  was 
an  accepted  idea  that  all  accused  persons  lied  to  get 
out  of  their  trouble,  and  that  the  police  and  their 
witnesses  were  entirely  disinterested. 

Brandt  had  often  sat  on  the  jury  in  Circuit  Court 
trials,  and  being  naturally  observant  and  thoughtful, 
had  acquired  quite  a  decent  smattering  of  common- 
sense  law.  A  legal  absurdity  jarred  upon  him  in 
much  the  same  manner  as  a  discordant  note  violates 
the  sense  of  harmony  in  music  lovers.  Gifted  with 
clear  insight  and  a  keen  perception,  Brandt  was 
respected  and  looked  up  to  by  all  who  knew  him, 
and  being  irreproachable  in  his  dealings,  was 
trusted  to  lead  and  advise  on  all  matters  of 
importance. 

He  analysed  the  case  in  minute  detail,  and  en- 
larged upon  the  various  aspects  of  it,  until  he  felt 
certain  that  his  companions  understood  the  position 
thoroughly. 

"  If  it  were  purely  a  case  of  murder  out  of  revenge 
for  the  death  of  our  children,  the  position  would  be 
quite  different  to  my  mind,  but  what  we  did  was 
absolutely  necessary  for  the  welfare  of  the  whole 
Colony.  Sooner  or  later  the  Government  would  have 
had  to  do  it  if  the  Karroo  is  to  be  made  habitable. 
These  Bushmen  had  stolen  our  cattle  and  resisted 
with  force  our  endeavours  to  recover  them.  Our 
arrest  and  trial  for  murder  is  the  best  possible  thing 


294  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

that  could  happen,  for  it  will  draw  attention  to  our 
cause. 

"  If  I  mistake  not  no  jury  will  convict  us  even  if 
the  case  should  be  proved ;  for  the  simple  reason 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  empanel  nine  men 
without  including  in  their  number  several  who  have 
undergone  the  same  hardships  as  we  have,  and 
most  likely  have  themselves  at  some  time  or  another 
shot,  or  hunted,  marauding  Bushmen.  The  mo- 
ment we  are  discharged,  every  Boer  will  consider 
himself  licensed  to  exterminate  offending  Bushmen, 
and  the  Government  having  done  their  duty,  and 
failed  to  obtain  a  conviction,  will,  in  their  own 
interest,  turn  a  blind  eye  to  the  Karroo,  well  knowing 
that  we  are  doing  their  dirty  work  of  scrubbing  it 
clean." 

So  absorbed  were  the  men  in  their  discussion 
that  the  minutes  passed  unheeded,  and  when 
towards  evening  they  arrived  at  Osfontein,  they 
could  hardly  realise  that  so  great  a  distance  had 
been  traversed,  in  what  appeared  to  be  so  short  a 
time. 

Classen's  consternation  was  great  when  he  learned 
that  Brandt  and  his  friends  were  under  arrest,  and 
were  being  marched  off  as  prisoners  to  gaol.  He 
indulged  in  strong  expressions  of  disapproval  at 
the  Government's  action  in  arresting  men  for  doing 
that  which  sooner  or  later  the  Colony  would  have 
to  undertake  at  great  expenditure  to  the  Treasury. 
He  was  going  on  to  say  much  more,  when  it  suddenly 
dawned  upon  him  that  he  had  received  a  summons 
to  serve  on  the  jury  at  the  ensuing  Circuit  Court. 
For  a  moment  he  became  confused,  not  knowing 


TUKIE    MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE     295 

what  construction  might  be  put  on  his  action  in 
receiving  these  men  at  his  house.  Taking  Brandt 
aside  he  explained  the  situation  to  him. 

"  Then  don't  receive  us,"  rephed  Brandt  smiling. 
"  The  police  will  require  you  to  shelter  us ;  and 
we  will  make  ourselves  at  home." 

"  Please  do,  Oom  Jan,  but  in  fairness  you  will 
have  to  challenge  me  as  a  juror." 

"In  fairness  I  will  do  nothing  of  the  sort.  It 
would  be  a  bad  principle  to  help  the  Crown  against 
ourselves." 

Classen's  sudden  legal  rectitude  contrasted  so 
oddly  with  his  language  of  a  moment  ago,  that 
Brandt  could  not  help  laughing  outright. 

"  Don't  let  our  being  here  worry  you,  and  don't 
discuss  the  matter  in  the  presence  of  the  police." 

Classens  felt  reassured  as  the  sergeant  explained 
the  case  to  him.  He  received  his  guests  with 
enthusiastic  hospitahty,  making  no  distinction 
between  the  men  and  their  guards,  and,  on  the 
following  morning,  could  not  resist  accompanying 
them  to  the  town,  there  to  render  such  assistance 
as  lay  in  his  power. 

When  it  became  known  that  the  men  could  not 
be  admitted  to  bail,  but  had  to  await  in  gaol  their 
further  trial,  he  busied  himself  in  getting  various 
families  to  send  food  and  refreshments  to  the 
prison,  so  that  the  accused  would  not  have  to  live 
upon  the  usual  rough  fare. 

The  news  soon  spread  from  farm  to  farm,  and 
towards  evening  many  of  the  neighbouring  Boers 
came  into  town  to  satisfy  their  curiosity. 

The  gloom  cast  over  Victoria  West  by  the  flood 


296  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

was  almost  forgotten  in  this  greater  excitement, 
for  the  coming  trial  was  of  universal  importance  to 
all  dwellers  in  the  Karroo. 

Many  declared  that,  if  the  men  were  convicted, 
there  would  be  a  great  trek  from  the  Karroo  north- 
ward, and  the  Government  would  be  left  to  do  the 
work  of  clearing  out  the  Bushmen.  The  great 
interest  evinced  was  mainly  due  to  the  fact  that 
there  was  hardly  a  Boer  who  had  not,  at  some  time 
or  other,  sustained  loss  from  the  Bushmen,  and  all 
regarded  them  as  vermin  to  be  stamped  out. 

Tukie's  shop  was  crowded  with  angry  excited 
Boers  talking  and  gesticulating  wildly,  most  of 
whom  had  occasion  to  visit  Tukie's  little  back  store 
to  calm  their  feelings  (so  they  said)  with  a  glass  of 
the  little  Jew's  special  brand  of  soothing  syrup. 

Tukie  took  no  great  part  in  the  conversation, 
for  the  general  consensus  of  opinion  was  that  the 
man  Friedenthal  should  be  lynched  as  the  chief 
instigator  of  the  thefts  which  led  to  the  murder  of 
the  two  white  boys  :  but  he  did  a  considerable 
amount  of  thinking  as  he  quietly  served  a  number 
of  customers,  who,  under  the  excitement  of  drink 
and  argument,  bought  things  recklessly. 

Soon  after  closing  his  store  that  night,  Tukie 
sauntered  out  in  the  direction  of  the  native  location, 
with  the  pretext  of  looking  for  one  of  his  store-boys 
who  had  left  without  delivering  some  parcels. 

The  boy  could  not  be  found,  but  Tukie  stumbled 
against  Oukop,  and  making  sure  that  no  one  was 
watching,  the  little  Jew  spoke  a  few  words  to  him 
quietly,  and  immediately  returned  by  another  way 
to  his  store. 


TUKIE    MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE    297 

He  went  into  his  office  and  had  just  Ht  a  shaded 
candle  after  carefully  pulling  down  the  bUnds,  when 
there  was  a  knock  and  Oukop  came  in. 

Tukie  locked  the  door  and  told  his  visitor  to  be 
seated  on  a  box.  He  himself  remained  standing, 
being  altogether  too  agitated  to  keep  still. 

"  I  was  looking  for  you,  and  am  glad  I  found 
you.  What  I  wish  to  tell  you  must  be  told  at  once. 
What  you  think  ?  "  and  Tukie  looked  meaningly 
into  the  Hottentot's  face. 

"  What  is  it,  Baas  Tukie  ?  "  asked  Oukop,  un- 
easily. 

''  You  know  your  master  and  I  were  great  friends  ? 
He  always  dealt  with  me,  and  you,  also,  have  spent 
all  your  money  in  my  store.  I  want  to  do  you  a  good 
turn.     What  you  think  ?  " 

Oukop  made  no  reply,  but  sat  still,  huddled  up 
in  his  blanket,  calmly  awaiting  what  might  be 
coming. 

"  You  know  there  were  many  Boers  in  town  to-day 
and  they  were  very  angry.  My  shop  was  full  of 
them,  and  I  heard  what  they  said.  That  is  why 
I  hunted  you  out.     What  you  think  ?  " 

Tukie  became  dramatically  cautious  and  looked 
in  every  corner  of  the  room,  as  though  fearing  he 
had  some  hidden  hstener.  Then  lowering  his  voice 
and  coming  nearer  he  said  solemnly  : 

"  They  have  decided  to  shoot  you  if  you  give 
evidence  to-morrow  in  that  case.  What  you 
think,  Oukop  ?  I  may  as  well  tell  you  some  of 
them  have  planned  to  shoot  you  to-night,  if  they 
come  across  you." 

Tukie    appeared   in    such    deadly    earnest    that 


298  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Oukop  could  not  help  believing  him.  Still,  he 
preserved  the  impassive  calm  so  characteristic  of 
a  native. 

"  They  know  that  you  are  to  give  evidence  to- 
morrow, and  that  you  have  brought  some  Bushmen 
with  you  to  testify  as  well.  Besides,  they  connect 
you  with  the  raids  on  their  cattle  and  the  murder  of 
their  children.  You  know  what  that  means  ?  What 
you  think  ?     It  means  they  will  kill  you,  Oukop." 

Tukie  spread  out  his  hands  as  he  said  this,  palms 
down.  Oukop  began  to  reflect  that  however  much 
the  Crown  might  promise  him  safety  as  Queen's 
witness,  he  would  never  be  able  to  explain  his 
connection  with  the  raid  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
infuriated  Boers,  and  under  such  circumstances  his 
life  would  be  in  danger  every  moment.  After 
pondering  a  little  he  said  : 

"  I  go  to  the  police,  Baas  Tukie.  I  have  done 
nothing  wrong  and  I  ask  for  protection  in  the  town, 
and  when  my  evidence  is  given  I  will  ask  the  Magis- 
trate to  give  me  an  escort  out  of  the  district." 

Tukie  threw  up  his  hands  in  horror  at  this  sugges- 
tion. 

"  No,  Oukop,  not  that !  It  would  ruin  me  com- 
pletely, for  you  will  be  made  to  say  who  warned 
you,  and  then  the  Boers  will  tear  me  to  pieces.  No, 
that  will  never  do.  What  you  think  ?  Surely  you 
would  not  injure  me  for  having  got  you  out  of  danger. 
What  you  think  ?  "  Tukie' s  voice  trembled  with 
emotion,  and  his  face  expressed  unmistakable 
signs  of  fear. 

"  I  did  not  think  of  that,  Baas  Tukie.  What 
else  can  I  do  ?  " 


TUKIE    MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE    299 

"  I  have  thought  seriously  about  the  matter,  and 
see  but  one  way  out  of  the  difhculty.  You  must 
clear  out  entirely  and  never  be  found.  What  you 
think  !  If  you  run  away  and  take  the  Bushmen 
with  you,  there  will  be  no  evidence  against  Frieden- 
thal — I  mean  Brandt  and  the  others  !  "  said  Tukie, 
suddenly  correcting  himself.  "  The  Boers  will 
then  think  you  wished  to  befriend  them  and  will 
stand  by  you  should  any  of  them  meet  you  again. 
What  you  think  ?  " 

"  The  poHce  will  track  me.  Baas,  and  then  it  will 
go  hard  with  me," said  Oukop,  meditatively. 

."  They  cannot  track  a  goat,  much  less  a  Hottentot 
like  you.  You  need  have  no  fear  of  that.  Besides, 
I  shall  so  praise  you  up  for  refusing  to  give  evidence 
that  any  Boer  knowing  your  whereabouts  will  put 
the  police  on  the  wrong  track.  What  you  think  ? 
Of  course  you  must  go  right  across  the  Orange 
River,  and  stop  there  for  a  few  years  until  every- 
thing is  forgotten." 

Tukie  saw  that  he  was  gaining  Oukop  over  and 
thought  it  time  to  play  his  trump  card.  Before 
the  Hottentot  could  reply  he  continued  :  "I  knew, 
Oukop,  that  you  would  be  thankful  for  my  warning, 
and  I  had  to  give  it  as  you  and  your  master  have 
done  a  lot  for  me,  so  don't  delay  a  moment.  You 
won't  be  missed  before  ten  o'clock  to-morrow. 
You  have  to  travel  a  long  way,  but  I  have  arranged 
for  that,  too.  What  you  think  ?  "  Tukie  beamed 
upon  Oukop  as  he  took  from  a  drawer  in  his  office 
table  a  small  bag  of  silver  coins. 

"  Here  is  twenty  pounds,  all  in  silver,  so  as  to  raise 
no  suspicion  in  case  you  have  to  pay  for  food  along 


300  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

the  road.  Take  it  as  a  gift  from  a  friend,  and  if  you 
come  into  the  shop  now  you  will  have  what  clothes 
you  require  and  a  pair  of  veldschoens.  What  you 
think  ?  " 

Tukie  sat  rubbing  his  hands  and  looking  happy 
again.  Whatever  fears  and  doubts  Oukop  had 
cherished  vanished  at  the  sight  of  so  much  money 
and  the  prospect  of  new  clothes.  He  got  up  and 
took  the  money. 

"  I  was  afraid  you  were  not  straight,  Baas  Tukie, 
but  now  I  see  that  you  are  a  friend,  and  mean  well. 
Otherwise  you  would  not  give  me  money  to  help  me 
get  away." 

He  snatched  Tukie' s  hand  and  brought  it  to  his 
lips  in  real  native  fashion  to  express  his  gratitude. 
Then,  looking  the  Jew  straight  in  the  eyes,  he 
continued,  "  Baas,  this  old  Hottentot  thanks 
you  and  promises  you  that  the  police  may  hunt 
until  they  are  grey  but  they  will  never  again  hear 
of  Oukop  or  the  three  Bushmen." 

Tukie  felt  like  embracing  Oukop.  He  knew  that 
his  partner  would  be  a  free  man  again  almost  at  once. 
Without  further  ado,  he  led  the  way  into  the  shop, 
where  he  pressed  all  sorts  of  gifts  upon  the  Hotten- 
tot, who  was  not  slow  in  availing  himself  of  an 
opportunity  to  enrich  himself  at  no  cost  what- 
ever. 

Tukie  made  him  take  so  many  articles  to  hand 
over  to  the  Bushmen  as  a  bribe  to  persuade  them 
to  fall  in  with  the  artfully  laid  plan,  that  at  last 
Oukop  found  the  parcel  growing  beyond  his  power 
of  hfting.  Tukie  solved  that  difficulty  by  offering 
to   carry  some   of    the  goods  himself   until   they 


TUKIE    MAKES    A    COUNTER-MOVE    301 

found  the  Bushmen,  when  the  burden  would  be 
divided. 

For  his  peace  of  mind  he  wished  to  see  them 
leave,  and  he  did  not  quit  Oukop's  side  until  the 
Hottentot  and  the  Bushmen  were  fairly  on  the 
road. 

The  night  was  dark  and  the  town  asleep — there 
was  no  difficulty  in  escaping  observation  in  going 
or  coming. 

When  Tukie  re-entered  his  shop  he  found  Oukop's 
old  hat  and  shoes  which  he  had  discarded  for  the 
new  ones,  lying  there.  He  looked  at  them  for  a 
time  and  then  began  to  talk  to  himself  :  "  Suppose 
the  police  overtake  them,  and  find  my  things  upon 
them,  and  the  old  hat  and  shoes  here  !  Where 
should  I  be  then  !  But  they  won't !  Oukop  is 
no  fool  where  it  is  a  question  of  his  own  skin.  Still, 
there  is  no  knowing.  These  natives  will  tell  any 
lies  to  get  out  of  trouble." 

He  thought  awhile.     At  last  an  idea  struck  him. 

"It  is  better  to  be  on  the  safe  side,"  he  said, 
aloud. 

Going  into  his  back  yard,  he  returned  with  a 
small  crowbar,  and  after  peering  cautiously  all 
round  his  building  to  make  sure  he  was  quite  alone, 
he  began  to  loosen  the  bricks  around  the  shop 
window  from  the  outside. 

He  worked  carefully  and  laboriously,  until  he 
had  broken  a  hole  through  the  wall  large  enough 
to  admit  a  man.  Inside  the  store  he  pulled  things 
about,  disarranged  several  articles,  and  left  Oukop's 
headgear  and  old  shoes  lying  about.  Surveying 
his  work  with  satisfaction,  he  muttered  to  himself : 


302  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

"  To-morrow  Oukop  will  be  wanted  for  shopbreaking 
and  theft,  and  if  caught,  his  story  will  not  be 
believed.  What  you  think  ?  Won't  Friedenthal 
laugh  when  I  tell  him  !  What  fools  these  lawyers 
and  magistrates  are  !     What  you  think  ?  " 


CHAPTER   XIX    AND    LAST 

'  I   COME  !  " 

TUKIE  was  in  bed  the  following  morning 
when  his  store-boy  rushed  in  to  rouse  him 
with  the  news  that  the  shop  had  been 
broken  into  and  rifled  during  the  night. 

With  a  tremendous  show  of  excitement  the 
cunning  little  Jew  jumped  up  and  only  half  dressed 
himself  in  his  feverish  anxiety  to  ascertain  how  much 
damage  had  been  done. 

A  few  early  risers  were  soon  on  the  scene,  exam- 
ining the  hole  in  the  wall,  and  making  guesses  as 
to  the  identity  of  the  burglars.  Tukie  raved  and 
swore  vengeance  against  the  thief,  declaring  that 
he  would  leave  no  stone  unturned  until  the  wretch 
was  found  and  brought  to  justice. 

On  entering  his  shop  he  became  angrier  and 
angrier  as  he  enumerated  the  various  things  that 
were  undoubtedly  missing,  and  found  merely  an 
old  hat  and  a  pair  of  worn  veldschoens  to  replace  the 
losses.  He  despatched  his  store-boy  to  fetch  the 
police,  but  it  was  fully  an  hour  before  they  turned 
up,  and  by  that  time  so  many  people  had  collected 
that  all  traces  of  thieves  had  been  practically 
obliterated.  Very  solemnly,  however,  and  with 
due  forrriaiities,  the  sergeant  carried  off  the  hat 
and  veldschoens  to  the  Charge  Office. 

303 


304  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Farmers  were  coming  into  town  in  large  numbers 
to  be  present  at  the  hearing  of  the  Bushmen  case 
that  morning,  and  soon  Tukie's  store — the  general 
meeting-place — was  crammed.  People  went  there 
to  meet  others,  to  discuss  the  gossip  of  the  day,  and 
particularly  to  get  a  little  free  refreshment  from 
the  back  room.  They  were  not  pressed  to  purchase 
anything,  merely  to  taste  something,  and  it  very 
seldom  happened  that,  after  a  visit  to  Tukie's 
parlour,  a  farmer  escaped  without  adding  to  his 
account.  If  after  two  or  three  such  calls  a  customer 
refrained  from  purchasing  anything,  Tukie  that 
night,  on  entering  up  his  sales,  blamed  himself 
mercilessly  for  his  wretched  memory  in  forgetting 
what  that  particular  Boer  had  bought,  settling  the 
matter  by  putting  down  in  the  yearly  bill  some 
article  or  other  which  he  knew  would  never  be 
queried. 

By  the  time  the  Magistrate  was  ready  to  take  his 
seat  on  the  Bench  quite  a  large  crowd  had  collected 
in  court.  The  accused  men  had  been  brought  over 
from  gaol  and  were  occupied  in  the  waiting-room. 
Mr.  Robart  was  with  them,  going  over  various 
items  in  the  indictment.  Members  of  the  police 
force  hurried  to  and  fro  through  the  town  and 
native  location,  returning  occasionally  to  make 
reports  to  their  Chief,  who  looked  concerned  and 
worried. 

It  was  already  past  the  usual  hour  for  the  opening 
of  the  court.  The  waiting  crowd  was  getting  im- 
patient. Every  available  seat  was  occupied,  and 
many  people  had  to  content  themselves  with 
insufficient  standing-room. 


"  I    COME  "  305 

Mr.  Robart  fidgetted,  having  already  sent  word 
to  the  prosecutor  that  he  was  ready  and  waiting 
— all  to  no  purpose.  Another  hour  dragged  by  ere 
the  Magistrate  entered  from  a  side-door. 

A  poHceman  in  a  loud  voice  shouted  "  Silence  !  " 
and  the  crowd  rose  to  pay  the  customary  mark  of 
respect  due  to  a  representative  of  Her  Majesty. 
His  Worship  made  a  stiff,  perfunctory  bow  in 
acknowledgment  and  sat  down,  nodding  to  the 
prosecutor  as  a  sign  that  the  proceedings  might 
commence. 

In  pompous  tones  the  clerk  of  the  court  read  out 
the  names  of  Brandt  and  his  men,  and  as  each 
was  called,  the  accused  rose  and  took  his  stand  be- 
hind Mr.  Robart' s  chair. 

The  Crown  prosecutor  then  announced  that  he 
would  be  unable  to  proceed  farther  with  the  case 
that  morning — the  witnesses  could  not  be  found. 
He  had  four  witnesses  in  town  on  the  previous 
evening,  and  had  warned  them  that  their  presence 
was  required  in  court  that  morning.  Not  one  of 
them  had  put  in  an  appearance. 

He  mentioned  the  fact  that  the  store  of  Mr. 
Tugendreich  had  been  broken  into  during  the  night, 
and  that  an  old  hat  and  a  pair  of  veldschoens  had 
been  found.  These  had  been  identified  by  the 
police  as  having  belonged  to  one  of  the  missing 
witnesses,  one  Oukop,  a  Hottentot. 

Search  had  been  made  throughout  the  town,  but 
the  witnesses  could  not  be  found.  The  police 
suspected  that  Oukop  had  committed  the  crime  of 
shopbreaking,  and  had  decamped  with  the  spoil, 
taking  the  Bushmen  along  with  him.    Under  these 


3o6  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

circumstances  a  long  remand  of  the  case  was  neces- 
sary, during  which  time  every  effort  would  be  made 
to  trace  the  basentees. 

A  thrill  of  excitement  ran  through  the  audience, 
who,  up  to  that  moment,  did  not  know  of  the 
Hottentot's  disappearance. 

"  You  have  brought  these  men  before  me  and  yet 
produce  no  witnesses,"  said  his  Worship,  drily, 
"  I  cannot  send  them  to  gaol  without  hearing  evid- 
ence against  them." 

"  I  can  produce  evidence  of  arrest,  your  Wor- 
ship," said  the  prosecutor. 

Mr.  Robart  submitted  that  mere  evidence  of 
arrest  meant  nothing  at  all.  A  prisoner  could 
not  be  committed  to  gaol  on  evidence  of  arrest. 
And  the  prosecutor  held  out  no  real  hope  of  being 
able  to  produce  the  missing  witnesses.  Supposing 
he  never  found  them  !  Were  the  prisoners  to  be 
detained  for  an  indefinite  period  on  the  off  chance 
of  the  runaways  being  brought  to  book.  He  apphed 
for  the  discharge  of  all  the  accused. 

His  Worship  said  they  had  not  been  arraigned  as 
yet,  and  appeared  before  him  on  a  prehminary 
hearing  only.  He  could  not  order  a  discharge 
unless  he  was  satisfied  that  the  witnesses  could 
not  be  found.  He  would  take  evidence  of  arrest 
in  the  meantime. 

The  sergeant  who  had  apprehended  the  prisoners 
was  called  into  the  witness-box,  and  handed  in 
the  warrant  upon  which  he  acted,  giving,  at 
the  same  time,  an  account  of  each  arrest  as  he 
made  it. 

"  Did  you  warn  the  accused  that  any  statements 


"I   COME"  307 

made  by  them  might  be  used  in  evidence  against 
them  ?  "  asked  the  Magistrate. 

"  Yes,  your  Worship.  None  of  the  men  made  any 
statement  except  Jan  Brandt." 

"  What  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  He  said  that  the  Government  were  setting  a 
stone  roUing  which  would  gather  a  tremendous 
impetus  before  it  came  to  rest." 

"  Anything  else  ?  " 

"  No,  your  Worship.  The  men  did  not  discuss 
the  matter  in  my  hearing." 

As  that  was  all  the  available  evidence  a  discussion 
arose  as  to  the  length  of  time  for  which  the  case 
should  be  remanded.  The  prosecutor  suggested  a 
week,  but  Mr.  Robart  opposed,  saying  that  as  the 
witnesses  were  in  town  the  previous  evening  they 
could  not  be  far  away.  If  they  had  fled  the  district 
then  it  might  be  months,  or  even  years,  before  they 
could  be  traced.  The  accused  could  not  be  detained 
in  gaol  indefinitely. 

After  hstening  to  arguments  on  both  sides  the 
Magistrate  decided  that  two  days  would  be  a 
reasonable  time  in  which  to  ascertain  the  where- 
abouts of  witnesses,  and  he  remanded  the  case 
accordingly. 

When  the  crowd  surged  out  of  the  court-house, 
there  was  general  rejoicing.  Every  one  knew 
that  the  running  away  of  Oukop  and  the  three 
Bushmen  was  the  best  thing  that  could  have  hap- 
pened— the  trial  of  Brandt  and  his  party  must 
now  end  in  smoke.  A  whispered  resolution 
was  passed  round  among  the  Boer  farmers  to  the 
effect  that  any  one  coming  across  Oukop  would  be 


3o8    THE    BREATH   OF   THE    KARROO 

expected  to  give  the  Hottentot  every  chance  to 
clear  out  of  the  Colony. 

Tukie,  who  bemoaned  his  loss  constantly,  now 
declared  that  he  gladly  suffered  for  the  sake  of  the 
accused  farmers.  He  hoped  that  Oukop  would 
run  for  a  week  without  stopping.  The  Boers 
laughed  and  cheered  the  little  Jew  for  his  unsel- 
fishness, promising  to  support  him  in  his  business 
for  so  long  as  he  chose  to  remain  in  the  dorp  and 
kept  his  back  parlour  going. 

The  two  days  slipped  by.  Brandt  and  his  friends 
were  loaded  with  all  manner  of  luxuries  by  their 
many  sympathisers,  and  had  no  lack  of  visitors  in 
gaol. 

The  poHce  endeavoured  to  trace  the  fugitive 
witnesses  and  employed  native  trackers  who  spoored 
in  all  directions — to  no  purpose.  One  by  one  the 
searchers  returned  to  report  complete  failure  and 
claim  payment  for  their  services. 

Punctual  to  time  the  Magistrate  took  his  seat 
once  more,  and  the  prisoners  ranged  themselves 
behind  their  lawyer's  chair. 

Announcing  that  he  had  failed  to  elicit  any 
information  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  witnesses 
for  the  Crown  the  prosecutor  said  that  he  had 
no  option  but  to  withdraw  the  charge  against  the 
accused,  including  Friedenthal. 

The  Magistrate,  making  a  note  on  his  record, 
and  almost  without  looking  up,  discharged  the 
prisoners. 

The  crowd  could  hardly  suppress  their  feehngs 
until  his  Worship  had  left  the  bench,  and  no  sooner 
was  his  back  turned  than  tumultuous  cheering  broke 


"I    COME"  309 

out.  The  men  were  surrounded  and  congratulated 
and  thanked  a  thousand  times  over,  Friedenthal, 
taking  the  opportunity  the  uproar  offered,  sHpped 
away  unnoticed. 

The  trial  was  over,  a  trial  which,  had  it  ended 
seriously,  might  have  altered  the  history  of  South 
Africa.  Every  Boer  knew  that  from  thenceforward 
the  Bushmen  must  steadily  diminish  as  the  whites 
spread  inland.  Every  one  saw  in  fancy  the  valleys, 
where  few  farmers  had  dared  to  venture,  dotted 
with  herds  of  peacefully  browsing  cattle.  This 
would  come,  though  it  might  be  the  Boers  had  yet 
to  pay  in  blood  for  the  security  ensured  to  gener- 
ations yet  unborn. 

As  Doctor  Hanau  had  not  yet  returned  from 
Sterkfontein,  Brant,  Gijs  and  Du  Plessis  became 
very  anxious,  and  made  preparations  for  immediate 
departure. 

The  townspeople  would  not  hear  of  any  of  the 
farmers  leaving  for  their  homes  until  they  had 
attended  a  fete  prepared  by  the  rejoicing  populace, 
who  could  not  lionise  the  ex-prisoners  sufficiently. 
Brandt  and  Gijs,  however,  were  in  no  mood  for 
merriment,  and  determined  to  slip  away  before 
the  party  commenced. 

Tukie  almost  went  mad  with  delight  at  the  favour- 
able ending,  and  Hberally  subscribed  to  the  feast 
from  the  good  things  in  his  store.  His  little  back 
room,  too,  was  at  the  disposal  of  all  and  sundry 
who  chose  to  patronise  it.  As  a  natural  conse- 
quence the  talk  became  loud  and  boisterous,  but 
the  poHce,  who  would  hardly  have  dared  to  inter- 
fere, turned  a  deaf  ear. 


310  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

The  conversation  turned  to  Friedenthal,  who, 
it  had  leaked  out,  was  mainly  responsible  for  the 
cattle  raiding. 

"  Tukie,  where  is  Friedenthal,"  shouted  a  black- 
bearded  Boer.     "  Bring  him  here.     I  want  him." 

"  How  should  I  know  what  has  become  of  the 
scoundrel  ?  "  flared  Tukie,  angrily.  "  What  you 
think  ?  " 

"  You  ought  to  know.     You  are  a  Jew  also." 

"  Yes,  but  not  hke  that  one,"  interposed  Brandt. 
"  Tukie  is  a  jolly  fine  fellow,  especially  in  times  of 
trouble." 

"  Hurrah  !  "  shouted  a  score  of  voices.  "  Three 
cheers  for  our  Tukie  !  " 

Every  one  yelled  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and 
some  of  the  young  bloods  seized  hold  of  the  little 
storekeeper,  raising  him  shoulder  high.  Tukie 
submitted  with  the  best  possible  grace,  being  power- 
less to  resist.  The  rough  and  tumble  banter  was 
all  meant  in  good  part,  and  the  Jew  took  it  so. 

Within  an  hour  from  the  time  of  release  Gijs 
started  on  his  homeward  journey  with  Brandt  and 
Du  Plessis.  The  day  was  intensely  hot,  and  as  the 
cart  was  hea\^  the  horses  could  not  be  pressed. 
All  three  men  felt  the  tension  of  suspense — what 
was  happening  at  Sterkfontein  ?  They  asked  them- 
selves the  question  over  and  over. 

Gijs,  as  driver,  was  compelled  to  do  the  first  part 
of  the  trip  in  short  stages,  and  to  the  anxious  trav- 
ellers the  waits  seemed  interminable.  At  last  it 
became  cool  enough  to  allow  of  the  horses  going 
faster,  and  Gijs  declared  he  would  not  outspan  again 
before  reaching  home. 


"I    COME"  311 

He  deliberately  drove  at  a  quick  pace  past  every 
homestead  dotted  along  the  road  in  order  to  escape 
having  to  recount  everything  that  had  happened 
in  town.  There  were  no  newspapers  circulating  in 
the  district  at  the  time.  Each  outpost  family 
depended  upon  the  casual  passer-by  for  information. 

Just  as  night  fell  the  anxious  farmers  reached 
Sterkfontein.  They  had  done  the  whole  distance 
from  Victoria  West  with  one  pair  of  horses — a  great 
feat  of  endurance. 

As  the  cart  drew  up  Tante  Let  and  Van  der 
Vyver  came  out  of  the  house  to  welcome  the  men. 
Jantje  and  some  native  boys  ran  forward,  but 
every  one  was  strangely  silent.  Tante  Let  was  weep- 
ing for  joy,  and  could  hardly  reply  to  the  anxious 
enquiries  after  Wijnand. 

"  The  doctor  and  his  mother  are  with  him  now. 
He  is  very  ill.  Doctor  Hanau  says  the  poor  lad 
has  developed  pneumonia  in  an  acute  form,  and  will 
require  the  utmost  care  and  attention.  I  am  so 
glad  to  have  you  back,  for  we  are  all  worn  out  with 
constant  watching.  I  have  hardly  slept  since  you 
left.  I  don't  know  what  I  should  have  done 
without  Doctor  Hanau." 

The  men  entered  the  house  quietly.  Brandt 
wanted  to  go  at  once  to  Wijnand,  but  Tante  Let 
restrained  him. 

"  Let  me  first  ask  the  doctor  whether  you  may 
go  in.  He  has  been  calling  for  you  often,  and  has 
wondered  why  you  did  not  come  to  him.  We  could 
not  tell  him,  of  course,  what  had  happened.  If  you 
go  in  unexpectedly  the  shock  might  prove  very 
disturbing." 


312  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

Tante  Let  returned  almost  at  once,  followed 
by  the  doctor  and  Mrs.  Brandt,  who,  poor  woman, 
wept  bitterly  at  the  sight  of  her  husband,  to  whom 
she  clung  in  her  distress.  In  a  low  voice  she 
asked  the  result  of  the  trial,  and  her  sad  face 
brightened  as  Jan  Brandt  recounted  the  whole  of 
the  scenes. 

Doctor  Hanau  endeavoured  to  assume  a  cheerful 
expression,  but  it  was  obvious,  even  to  a  casual 
observer,  how  intensely  worried  he  was. 

Explaining  Wijnand's  state  to  the  anxious  father 
he  said  that  pneumonia  had  developed  to  an  alarming 
extent.  The  broken  ribs  had  penetrated  the  lungs, 
and  he  entertained  the  gravest  fears.  He  thought 
it  best  to  be  candid  and  to  warn  them  all.  He 
hoped  for  a  recovery,  and  Wijnand  had  youth  and 
a  good  constitution  in  his  favour. 

"  And  every  now  and  then  he  asked  for  you," 
sobbed  Mrs,  Brandt.  "  It  was  so  terrible  not 
to  be  able  to  explain  why  you  could  not  come 
to  him." 

"  Let  me  go  to  him  now  !  I  cannot  wait  longer," 
cried  Brandt,  his  face  working. 

"  Do  not  wake  him  if  he  is  asleep,"  warned  the 
doctor. 

Softly  Brandt  and  his  wife  tiptoed  into  the  room, 
where  they  found  Mrs.  Van  der  Vyver  and  Mrs. 
Venter  on  duty. 

Wijnand  was  asleep,  and  looking  at  the  strong 
young  fellow  as  he  lay  he  appeared  to  be  in  the  best 
of  health.  But  for  a  slight  flush  on  his  sunburnt 
cheeks  his  complexion  was  quite  normal.  His 
father  bent  down  and  kissed  the  damp  forehead 


"I    COME"  313 

tenderly.  A  large  tear  fell  on  Wijnand's  cheek, 
and  almost  immediately  he  opened  his  eyes.  A 
faint  smile  crept  over  his  face  as  he  placed  his  left 
arm  round  Jan  Brandt's  neck,  and  kissed  him. 
The  simple  old  Boer  was  overcome  now.  He  could 
not  bear  to  see  his  son's  sufferings. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come,  dear  father.  I 
did  so  want  to  see  you."  Wijnand  spoke  in  a  hollow 
voice,  and  the  effort  set  him  coughing  in  a  distressing 
manner. 

Presently  he  became  delirious  once  more,  and 
wandered  afar  in  his  distraught  mind :  "  We  can 
cross  all  right — Hold  up,  '  Aasvogel ' — Almachte  ! 
the  water  is  cold — Nettie,  my  dearest,  are  you  all 
right  ?  We  must  drive  on — Where  is  Gijs  ? — You 
said  father  would  come — There  they  are — with  the 
cattle — ten  Bushmen — shoot  quickly — missed  him — 
Tante  Let,  I  must  get  up — father  wants  me." 

At  moments  he  would  lie  back  perfectly  still  with 
his  eyes  closed,  apparently  asleep.  Then  raising 
himself  suddenly  he  stared  into  a  corner  of  the 
room. 

"  Nettie,  Nettie  !  "  he  whispered,  "  I  love  you  ! 
Gijs,  old  man,  we  will  fight  fair  for  her." 

Smiling  and  stretching  out  his  arms  he  cried  in 
joyous  tones  :   "  Nettie,  my  love,  I  am  coming." 

Brandt  and  his  wife  stood  at  the  foot  of  the 
bed  with  the  tears  rolling  down  their  cheeks. 
To  them  his  words  were  a  premonition  of  sad 
import. 

Gijs  and  Nettie  sat  like  statues  in  the  dining- 
room.  Neither  could  say  a  word,  and  when  the 
Brandts  came  weeping  from  Wijnand's  bedside,  they 


314  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

thought  the  worst  had  happened.  Nettie  buried 
her  face  in  her  hands  and  began  to  shake  with  sub- 
dued weeping ;  Gijs's  face  set  Uke  marble  in  an 
agony  of  grief  and  sorrow.  Tante  Let  tried  to  revive 
hope  by  explaining  that  such  delirious  attacks  were 
the  natural  course  of  the  illness,  and  that  they 
generally  ended  in  a  sound  sleep  from  which  the 
patient  awoke  refreshed  and  strengthened.  She 
had  no  doubt  but  that  Wijnand  would  presently 
rest  quietly. 

After  a  while  Doctor  Hanau  came  into  the  dining- 
room  and  said  that  he  had  administered  a  sleeping 
draught  and  that  under  its  effect  the  patient  lay 
calmed.  Drumming  his  fingers  on  the  table  the 
kind  old  man  said  :  "  It  is  the  injury  that  troubles 
me — I  can  do  nothing  for  it.  But  if  he  sleeps 
well  and  his  strength  is  maintained  we  may  pull  him 
through  yet." 

Tante  Let  laid  the  table  with  Nettie's  help  and 
served  supper.  With  the  exception  of  Van  der 
Vyver  nobody  could  manage  to  eat  more  than  a 
mere  scrap  of  anything. 

Doctor  Hanau  went  off  to  bed,  arranging  to  be 
called  should  necessity  arise.  Tante  Let  suggested 
that  Mrs.  Brandt  and  Oom  Jan  should  follow  suit. 
Mrs.  Du  Plessis  had  come  over  for  the  past  two 
nights  to  assist  and  relieve  the  watchers,  and  was 
expected  at  any  moment.  Nettie  had  decided  to 
remain  at  the  farm.  She  felt  keenly  that  she  was 
in  a  sense  responsible  for  the  sad  accident  to  her 
lover,  and  she  wished  to  do  all  that  was  possible 
to  assist  in  the  house. 

"  Mother,"    said    Gijs,   "  may    not    Nettie    and 


"I    COME"  315 

I  go  into  Wijnand's  room — just  to  see  him 
again  ?  We  will  not  speak  or  disturb  him  in  any 
way." 

Without  a  word  Tante  Let  led  the  way,  beckoning 
them  to  follow.  Wijnand's  bed  stood  away  from 
the  wall  and  Gijs  took  up  his  position  on  one  side, 
Nettie  on  the  other.  Thus  they  stood  looking  down 
at  the  unconscious  form. 

Who  could  analyse  the  thoughts  that  crowded 
the  youthful  minds  of  the  sad  pair  as  they  gazed 
upon  the  face  so  dear  to  both  of  them  !  Nettie 
could  scarcely  refrain  from  sobbing  aloud,  and  Gijs's 
heart  turned  to  his  boyhood  and  the  many  days  he 
and  Wijnand  had  spent  together. 

Softly  as  they  came  the  two  passed  out  of  the 
room  again.  Neither  spoke,  but  Gijs  pressed  the 
hand  of  the  weeping  girl  comfortingly.  Returning 
to  the  dining-room  they  sat  on  in  silence  until  the 
arrival  of  Mrs,  Du  Plessis,  whom  they  went  out  on 
to  the  stoep  to  welcome. 

She  was  not  surprised  to  see  Gijs,  but  it  was  most 
welcome  news  to  her  to  hear  that  the  Bushmen  case 
was  over,  and  that  her  husband  would  return  home 
on  the  following  day. 

As  Mrs.  Du  Plessis  went  on  duty  for  a  portion  of 
the  night,  Mrs.  Van  der  Vyver  gave  up  her  vigil,  and 
went  out  of  the  house  to  get  a  breath  of  fresh  air. 
Finding  Gijs  and  Nettie  sitting  on  the  stoep  she 
questioned  the  young  man  about  the  events  in 
town,  for  the  case  had  not  been  mentioned  in  the 
sick-room.,  and  she  knew  no  more  than  the  bare 
fact  of  their  release.  Very  briefly  Gijs  told  her  all 
that  had  transpired,  and,  changing  the  subject  as 


3i6  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

soon  as  he  could,  turned  to  the  overwhelming 
interest  of  Wijnand's  illness. 

"  I  am  so  sorry  for  him/'  said  the  good  woman, 
feelingly.  "  I  am  most  anxious,  too.  His  wound 
is  terribly  swollen,  and  the  fever  never  lessens.  The 
coughing  racks  him,  and  he  constantly  brings  up 
blood."  She  paused,  looking  keenly  distressed, 
for,  in  common  with  every  one  who  knew  him,  she 
loved  Wijnand  dearly.  "  He  often  asked  me  why 
you  did  not  come,  Gijs,  and  I  had  to  invent  all 
sorts  of  excuses,  as  we  could  not  tell  him  anything 
of  the  arrest.  After  you  had  left  him  a  few  minutes 
ago  I  heard  him  mutter  :  '  He  has  come,  my  old 
friend.'     Then  :    '  I  thought  I  saw  Nettie.'  " 

Tears  rolled  down  Nettie's  pale  cheeks,  and  Gijs 
stared  through  a  mist  at  the  stars.  Mrs.  Van  der 
Vyver,  unable  to  trust  herself  to  speak,  turned  away 
with  a  sigh. 

For  some  time  longer  the  two  remained  on  the 
stoep,  neither  able  to  say  anything,  yet  finding 
consolation  in  the  other's  presence.  Towards  mid- 
night they  tiptoed  into  the  house  again  to  find  out 
how  the  patient  fared. 

The  doctor  was  up,  and  busy  in  Wijnand's  room, 
and  Mrs.  Du  Plessis  was  hurrying  to  and  fro  from 
the  kitchen  with  hot  fomentations.  Wijnand's 
breathing  had  become  more  laboured,  and  could 
be  heard  in  all  parts  of  the  house.  There  was  no 
need  to  enquire  from  any  one  how  he  was. 

Gijs  went  outside  again,  for  to  hear  Wijnand's 
painful  fight  for  life  was  agony  to  him.  In  an  effort 
to  relieve  his  feelings  he  roamed  aimlessly  over  the 
homestead,  looking  into  the  stables  and  kraals. 


"I    COME"  317 

As  he  passed  close  to  a  native  hut  his  attention 
was  arrested  by  a  curiously  familiar  moaning — 
where  had  he  heard  it  before  ! 

In  a  moment  Jantje's  hand  was  on  his  arm,  and 
the  Hottentot  endeavoured  to  lead  his  master  back 
to  the  path. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Jantje  ?  Why  aren't  your 
people  asleep  ?  " 

"  Nothing  is  wrong,  Baas  Gijs.  We  were  talking, 
and  are  now  going  to  bed." 

"  I  can  hear  some  one  moaning.     Is  any  one  ill  ?  " 

"  No,  Baas,  no.  I  think  some  one  yawning — 
that  is  all.     Good-night,  Baas,  good-night." 

Adroitly  Jantje  tried  to  dismiss  the  visitor,  but  at 
that  moment  a  prolonged  and  painful  cry  sounded 
from  inside  the  hut. 

"  Jantje,  why  did  you  lie  to  me  ?  Some  one  is 
ill  in  there  !  "    Gijs  spoke  sternly. 

"  No,  I  did  not  He.  There  is  nobody  sick.  It  is 
a  little  boy  dreaming.  You  can  safely  go  home. 
Baas.     There  is  nothing  wrong." 

As  the  Hottentot  spoke  Gijs  determined  to  see 
for  himself,  and  before  he  could  be  prevented  was 
in  the  hut, , striking  a  light. 

There,  creeping  about  the  floor,  was  the  native 
boy,  Izaak,  going  through  the  same  contortions 
that  Gijs  had  witnessed  before. 

Holding  his  match  in  one  hand  until  it  flickered 
out,  Gijs  stared  at  the  lad  in  terror.  What  calamity 
did  the  scene  portend  ?  To  the  natives  it  meant 
death,  and  had  he  not  himself  proved  that  there 
was  something  in  their  superstition  ? 

Gijs  stumbled  from  the  hut  feeling  like  a  man 


3i8  THE  BREATH  OF  THE  KARROO 

who  has  received  his  death  sentence.  He  could 
not  dismiss  the  thought  that  the  same  extraordinary 
warning  had  been  given  before  his  brother  was 
murdered.  Although  he  kept  assuring  himself 
that  the  whole  thing  was  merely  coincidence,  and 
that  no  sensible  person  believed  in  such  signs,  the 
truth  forced  itself  on  his  mind.     Wijnand  was  dying. 

Near  the  stoep  he  encountered  Nettie,  who  had 
also  heard  the  wailing.  She  asked  him  if  anything 
was  amiss,  and  Gijs  made  up  a  comforting  story 
about  a  nightmare  and  a  large  indigestible  supper. 

Taking  the  girl's  hand  in  his  the  young  Boer 
whispered  brokenly  :  "  You  know,  don't  you,  how 
much  we  both  love  you,  and  that  he  has  been  my 
true  friend  all  these  years  !     My  heart  is  very  sad." 

He  told  her  of  their  compact,  and  of  their  agreeing 
to  abide  by  her  choice  without  any  thought  of 
severing  the  hfelong  friendship. 

Nettie,  strangely  moved  by  her  lover's  simple 
words,  realized  how  much  she  meant  to  these  two 
faithful  covenanters.  So,  absorbed  in  their  thoughts, 
they  walked  up  and  down  the  stoep  in  the  moonlight, 
oblivious  of  everything  save  for  the  occasional 
touch  of  sympathy  conveyed  by  the  pressure  of 
hands. 

It  was  almost  daybreak  when  they  went  within 
to  find  the  doctor  sitting  in  the  dining-room,  looking 
worn  and  stern. 

"  I  am  afraid,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  Nettie's 
inquiry,  "he  is  beyond  our  help." 

Just  then  Mrs.  Venter  hurried  into  the  room. 

"  Doctor,  I  think  the  crisis  is  over.  He  speaks 
coherently.     He  is  better,  surely  ?  " 


"  I    COME  "  319 

In  a  few  moments  the  doctor  reappeared,  looking 
graver  than  ever.  "  He  wants  to  see  you  both. 
Comply  with  any  wish  he  may  express.  Life  with 
him  is  only  a  matter  of  moments  now." 

When  Gijs  and  Nettie  entered  the  room  they 
found  Wijnand  holding  his  father's  hand,  and 
looking  almost  himself.  He  looked  quite  well, 
as  he  smiled  and  spoke  in  his  old  familiar  voice  : 

"  I  am  going  to  leave  you  all,  but  you  must  not 
grieve  for  me.  Something  is  for  ever  calling  me. 
Don't  grieve  for  me,  because  I  am  so  happy  !  "  A 
strange,  sweet  smile  hghted  his  eyes  as  he  drew  his 
mother's  head  down  to  the  level  of  his  hps  and 
kissed  her  hair. 

With  a  strength  of  which  they  did  not  deem  him 
capable  he  raised  himself  in  bed  and  extended  his 
hand  to  each  of  the  watchers  in  turn.  As  Gijs  came 
to  the  bedside  his  d3dng  friend  motioned  to  Nettie 
to  come  near  also.  For  a  few  seconds  he  lay  holding 
their  hands,  and  looking  up  at  them  with  the  old 
smile,  he  said, 

"  My  dear  Gijs,  and  my  dear  Nettie,  both  so 
precious  to  me.  I  want  you  to  be  happy  together. 
Had  I  lived,  our  love  for  you,  Nettie,  might  have 
severed  the  friendship  Gijs  and  I  have  ever  had 
for  one  another.  Heaven  steps  in  now — it  is  best 
so.  Won't  you  love  him,  Nettie  ?  "  Taking  the 
girl's  hand  the  dying  man  placed  it  in  that  of  Gijs. 

His  head  sank  for  a  moment — he  struggled  for 
breath  again.  With  an  effort  he  drew  Nettie  nearer 
and  kissed  her  on  the  Hps. 

"  Gijs,  Gijs  !  "  he  cried,  in  a  high,  feverish  voice, 
"  Make  her  happy." 


320    THE    BREATH   OF   THE    KARROO 

Smiling  brightly  he  watched  the  dawn  break  over 
the  Karroo. 

"  I  come  !  I  come  !  "  he  cried,  holding  out  his 
arms  to  the  sun. 

And  in  the  midst  of  those  who  loved  him  Wijnand 
Brandt  lay  dead. 


THE     ANNOUNCEMENTS  OF 

HERBERT   JENKINS 

LTD*/ 

12       ARUNDEL      PLACE 
HAYMARKET   LONDON    S.W. 


HERBERT  JENKINS   LIMITED 


WILD   BIRDS 

THROUGH  THE  YEAR 

e   GEORGE  A.B.DEWAR    O 


THE   GAR.DE>J 
OF  IGNORANCE 


BY  AtRS  GEORGE  CRAN 


MY  MEMORIES 

1830-1913 

LORD   SUFFIELD 


BV 

LOrjD  CHARLBS  3ERE3FCKI) 


THE  SALE  OF 
LADYDAVENTRY 


THE 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 


OF 


HERBERT  JENKINS 


LTD. 


MY  MEMORIES   1830-1913 

By  the  Rt.  Hon.  LORD  SUFFIELD,  P.C,  G.C.V.O., 
K.C.B.  Edited  by  ALYS  LOWTH.  With  an 
Introduction  by  ADMIRAL  LORD  CHARLES 
BERESFORD,  K.C.B.  and  a  Photogravure  Portrait 
and  32  other  Illustrations.  Demy  8vo.  Price  i6/- 
net.    Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 


I 


T  was  Whyte  Melville  who  described  Lord  Suffield 
as : 

"  A  rider  unequalled— a  sportsman  complete, 
A  rum  'un  to  follow,  a  bad  'un  to  beat," 

yet  he  is  perhaps  best  known  on  account  of  his  long  and 
intimate  association  with  the  Courts  of  three  monarchs. 
His  first  appearance  at  St.  James's  dates  back  to  the 
'thirties.  In  1868  he  was  appointed  Lord-in-Waiting  by 
Queen  Victoria.  Four  years  later,  at  the  special  request 
of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  he  became  Lord  of  the  Bed- 
chamber to  H.R.H.,  and  subsequently  Head  of  the 
Household,  a  position  he  held  until  after  the  Prince 
ascended  the  throne  as  Edward  VII.  In  1875  ^e  accom- 
panied the  Prince  of  Wales  to  India  as  Chief  of  the 
Staff",  and  since  he  has  held  many  other  high  offices, 
including  those  of  Master  of  the  Buckhounds  and 
Superintendent  of  the   Stables.     For  more  than  three- 

3 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 

MY    MEMORIES    i8^o-igi 3— Continued. 

quarters  of  a  century  Lord  Suffield  has  come  into  close 
contact  with  the  most  celebrated  men  and  women  of  his 
time.  He  remembers  "  Coke  of  Norfolk,"  the  first  Earl 
of  Leicester,  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  and  a  host  of  other 
distinguished  men  whose  names  are  written  in  the  history 
of  their  country.  He  was  well  known  at  all  the  Courts  of 
Europe,  where  his  personality  won  for  him  many  friends. 
As  a  sportsman  he  showed  a  remarkably  catholic  taste : 
running,  wrestling,  shooting,  riding,  yachting,  coaching, 
tennis,  cricket,  cycling — nothing  came  amiss.  In  the 
present  volume  he  tells  many  of  those  good  stories  that 

"  Clothe  with  frail  flesh  the  statesman  and  the  king." 
There  are  reproduced  a  number  of  unique  illustrations, 
including   several    hitherto    unpublished    sketches    and 
drawings  made  during  the  visit  to  India. 


« 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYMARKET  S.W. 


THE  PUBLIC  PROSECUTOR 
OF  THE  TERROR  : 

ANTOINE  OUENTIN  FOUQUIER-TINVILLE. 
Translated  from  the  French  of  Alphonse  Dunoyer 
by  A.  W.  EVANS.  With  a  Photogravure  Frontis- 
piece and  14  other  Illustrations.  Demy  8vo.  Price 
12/6  net.     Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 

THIS  study  of  Fouquier-Tinville  is  a  re- 
markable contribution  to  the  personal  side 
of  the  history  of  the  French  Revolution.  It 
is  largely  based  on  unpublished  manuscripts  preserved 
among  the  French  archives,  and  throws  fresh  light  on 
many  of  the  atrocities  of  which  the  Revolutionary 
Tribunal  was  the  theatre.  Of  even  greater  interest  is 
the  psychological  study  of  many  of  the  characters,  both 
Terrorists  and  their  victims,  which  M.  Dunoyer's  re- 
searches have  enabled  him  to  make.  He  gives  the 
reader  a  feeling  of  being  actually  present  at  the  dramatic 
scenes  he  describes,  and  the  book,  as  has  been  already 
recognised  by  reviews  in  the  chief  French  and  English 
critical  organs,  is  a  masterpiece  of  historical  research 
and  presentation.  A  sombre  and  enigmatical  figure, 
Fouquier-Tinville  will  remain  a  symbol  of  the  "judicial 
assassinations  "  committed  by  the  Revolutionary  Tri- 
bunal. He  strove  to  shield  himself  by  pleading  that 
he  was  only  the  "  executor "  of  blood-thirsty  laws 
but  he  discharged  his  duties  with  a  zeal  and  enthusiasm 
that  proclaimed  him  a  worthy  colleague  of  Dumas, 
Coffinhal,  and  Herman. 


HERBERT   JENKINS   LIMITED 


THE  DEVONSHIRE 
HOUSE      CIRCLE 

By  HUGH  STOKES.  Author  of  "A  Prince  of 
Pleasure,"  etc.,  with  a  Photogravure  Frontispiece 
and  i6  other  Illustrations.  Demy  8vo.  Price  12/6 
net.     Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 

DEVONSHIRE  HOUSE  is  the  most  historic 
palace  in  Mayfair.  Its  hospitable  doors  have 
opened  to  generation  after  generation  of 
English  society,  and  its  passport  is  almost  equal  to  a 
royal  patent  of  nobility.  "  The  Devonshire  House 
Circle"  deals  with  the  reign  of  the  fifth  Duke  and 
his  beautiful  Duchess,  the  incomparable  Georgiana. 
The  period  covered  is  roughly  the  last  quarter  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  Among  the  visitors  to  Devonshire 
House  were  men  of  such  varied  talents  as  Fox,  Sheridan, 
Horace  Walpole,  Gibbon,  and  Dr.  Johnson.  The  Prince 
of  Wales  there  fell  in  love  with  the  loveliest  woman  of  her 
time  ;  Gainsborough  and  Reynolds  tried  to  paint  her 
portrait,  and  admitted  that  their  genius  was  unequal  to 
the  task.  How  she  conducted  the  "  Ladies'  Canvass  " 
at  the  Westminster  Election  of  1784,  how  bitterly  she 
wept  over  her  losses  at  Martindale's  faro-table,  how — 
with  all  the  wealth  of  the  Cavendishes — she  became 
practically  penniless,  form  an  absorbing  study  of  social 
manners  during  Georgian  days.  As  a  leader  of  London 
society  the  exploits  of  Georgiana,  Duchess  of  Devonshire, 
have  never  been  rivalled.  In  this  volume  the  courtyard 
in  Piccadilly  is  once  more  crowded  with  the  life  and  bustle 
of  chariots,  sedans,  footmen,  grandees,  and  link-boys. 

6 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


LEONARDO    DA    VINCI 

The  Florentine  Years  of  Leonardo  and  Verrocchio. 
By  DR.  JENS  THUS.  With  upwards  of  300  Illustra- 
tions reproduced  in  tints  and  black  and  white. 
Large  4to.  Price  42/-  net.  Inland  Postage  i/- 
extra. 

IT  was  not  until  recently  that  the  manuscripts  of 
Leonardo  da  Vinci  became  an  object  of  research 
and  study.  One  reason  for  this  was  the 
difficulty  they  presented  through  being  written  from 
right  to  left.  The  glimpses  that  the  investigator 
obtained,  brief  as  they  were,  showed  the  great  artist 
as  one  of  the  most  richly  endowed  human  beings  that 
ever  lived.  Slowly  the  mass  of  ascriptions  has  been 
whittled  down,  and  picture  after  picture  attributed  to 
the  master  has  been  proved  to  be  spurious.  In  the 
Uffizi  Gallery,  for  instance,  of  42  drawings  bearing 
Leonardo's  name  Dr.  Thiis  finds  only  seven  genuine. 
Forgers,  copyists,  pupils,  imitators — all  have  con- 
tributed to  swell  the  stream  of  Leonardo's  reputed 
pictures.  Dr.  Thiis  has  devoted  many  years  to  the 
study  of  the  work  of  the  artist,  his  master,  Verrocchio, 
and  his  contemporaries,  with  the  result  that  he  writes 
of  the  Florentine  Period  with  the  authority  of  thorough 
knowledge.  He  has  enriched  his  text  with  upwards  of 
300  reproductions,  a  large  number  of  them  being  repro- 
duced in  double  tints  so  as  more  nearly  to  resemble 
the  originals.  This  most  notable  feature  of  a  beautiful 
book    will    prove    particularly     valuable     to    students 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 
LEONARDO    DA   YIN  CI— Continued. 

of  Leonardo  and  also  to  connoisseurs.  Dr.  Thiis 
explains  the  plan  he  has  adopted  in  the  following  words  : 
*'  In  order  to  understand  the  true  worth  of  Leonardo's 
work,  and  its  remoteness  from  all  imitations — good 
or  bad — it  is  necessary  to  test  by  criticism  what  is 
artistically  near  to  and  pressing  upon  his  great  name. 
In  such  an  investigation  we  must  also  include  every- 
thing that  the  past  or  the  present  may  be  able  to 
furnish  towards  the  elucidation  of  the  genesis  and 
growth  of  his  art.  Above  all  we  must  set  ourselves  to 
adjudge  between  Leonardo  and  his  great  teacher  and 
forerunner,  Verrocchio."  In  so  doing  the  author  could 
not  avoid  joining  issue  with  certain  points  of  view  that 
seemed  to  him  narrow,  unjust,  or  disturbing  to  the 
values.  The  great  feature  of  the  work  is  its  illustrations, 
which  make  it  a  unique  volume. 


^ 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


FRANCISCO  GOYA 

A  Study  of  the  Work  and  Personality  of  the 
Eighteenth  Century  Spanish  Painter  and  Satirist.  By 
HUGH  STOKES.  With  48  full-page  Illustrations. 
Small  4to.   Price  10/6  net.  Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 

A  CENTURY  ago,  victorious  generals  were 
returning  to  Paris  and  London  laden  with 
canvases  by  Velazquez,  Murillo,  and  the 
lesser  artists  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Almost  for 
the  first  time  Velazquez  became  appreciated  north  of 
the  Pyrenees,  and  his  works  sought  after  by  connoisseurs. 
Not  until  fifty  years  later  was  it  recognised  that  during 
the  convulsions  of  the  Peninsula  War  a  Spanish  artist 
was  busy  continuing  the  glorious  traditions  of  the 
national  art.  Until  Gautier  and  Yriarte  wrote  about 
Goya  his  name  was  practically  unknown  in  France  and 
England.  His  position  is  now  assured,  and  he  ranks 
with  the  great  masters  of  modern  painting.  As  a 
satirist  he  may  be  termed  the  Spanish  Hogarth  ;  his 
portraits  recall  the  best  period  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
whilst  in  his  designs  for  tapestry  he  frankly  emulates  the 
light  grace  of  the  French  craftsmen.  His  large  canvases 
dealing  in  a  realistic  and  dreadful  fashion  with  the 
horrors  of  the  French  war  prove  that  he  was  artistically 
the  forerunner  of  Manet.  His  etchings  are  superb. 
Goya's  life  was  as  full  of  incident  as  that  of  Cellini. 
Although  a  Court  painter  he  was  a  fervent  Republican, 
and  at  last,  sick  of  Bourbon  misrule,  he  fled  to  France, 
and  died  at  Bordeaux,  in  1828. 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


THE    YEAR    BOOK    OF     THE 
UNIVERSITIES  OF  THE  EMPIRE 

Demy   8vo.     Price   7/6   net.      Inland   Postage  6d. 
extra.     Foreign  Postage  gd.  extra. 

AT  the  Congress  of  Universities  of  the  Empire, 
held  in  London  in  July,  1912,  it  was  decided 
to  publish  a  Year  Book.  The  Committee  of 
the  Universities  Bureau  of  the  British  Empire  was  en- 
trusted with  its  compilation,  aided  by  a  correspondent  in 
every  University.  The  Year  Book  is,  in  the  first  place, 
a  conspectus  of  the  calendars  of  the  Universities  of  the 
Empire,  giving  a  concise  account  of  their  constitution, 
curricula,  degrees,  libraries,  laboratories,  etc.  In  this 
it  serves  a  double  purpose,  enabling  those  in  authority 
at  any  particular  University  to  ascertain  without  trouble 
what  instruction  and  facilities  for  research  are  provided 
by  all  the  others  ;  whilst,  for  students  who,  in  choosing 
a  University,  desire  to  secure  the  best  available  training 
in  some  special  department  of  knowledge,  or  other  advan- 
tages of  which,  at  present,  there  is  no  opportunity  of 
gaining  comparative  information,  it  will  serve  as  a  guide. 
The  Year  Book  contains  a  Directory  of  Universities, 
giving  not  only  the  names  of  all  members  of  their  teach- 
ing staffs,  but  a  record  of  changes  which  have  occurred. 
It  also  records  all  outstanding  events  of  University  life, 
new  departments  opened,  posts  created,  hostels  and  other 
amenities  provided,  agencies  started  for  securing  the  em- 
ployment of  graduates,  and  other  developments  which 
have  occurred  during  the  year. 


i 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


THE     SALE      OF 
LADY  DAVENTRY 

A  Novel,     Crown  8vo.     Price  6/-.     Inland  Postage 
5d.  extra. 

THE  anonymous  author  has  selected  for  this 
remarkable  novel  a  unique  theme.  In  des- 
pair at  the  narrowness  of  her  life  as  a  country 
vicar's  daughter,  "  the  beautiful  Miss  Morland,"  when 
standing  one  day  at  the  vicarage  gate,  exclaims,  "  For  life 
and-  wealth  and  power  1  am  ready  to  sell  my  soul." 
A  pleasant  voice  replies,  "  Will  you  sell  yourself  to 
me  ?  "  Thus  Jane  Morland  becomes  the  wife  of  Lionel, 
tenth  Lord  Daventry,  and  embarks  upon  an  amazing 
career  of  wickedness.  Life  to  her  is  a  game  to  be 
played  with  calculated  deliberation.  Her  hatred  of 
Bruce  Daventry,  the  heir  presumptive  to  the  title  and 
estates,  prompts  her  to  a  terrible  revenge.  The  conse- 
quences of  this  act  of  madness,  which  extend  to  many 
other  lives  and  to  future  generations,  are  detailed  with 
great  power  in  these  vivid  and  dramatic  pages.  Even 
the  most  jaded  novel-reader  will  find  in  "  The  Sale  of 
Lady  Daventry  "  a  book  of  such  originality  and  power 
that  it  will  not  easily  be  forgotten. 


<B 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


SHEILA    INTERVENES 

A  Novel.  By  STEPHEN  McKENNA,  Author  of 
"  The  Reluctant  Lover."  Crown  8vo.  6/-.  Inland 
Postage  5d.  extra. 

FOR  his  second  novel  Mr.  Stephen  McKenna  has 
chosen  a  much  more  serioustheme;  but  those  who 
appreciated  the  flippancies  ot  "  The  Reluctant 
Lover  "  will  rejoice  in  the  irresistible  Sheila  Farling,  a 
kind  of  society  "  Bunty,"  aged  nineteen,  who  manages 
everybody,  peers  and  politicians  included.  She  meets 
her  match  in  Denys  Playfair,  the  young  visionary  who, 
to  avenge  family  wrongs,  has  turned  Jacobin  and  schemes 
for  the  downfall  of  society.  The  story  of  his  contests 
with  Sheila  and  how  love  eventually  triumphs  over  the 
desire  for  revenge  is  made  vividly  interesting.  Mr. 
McKenna  has  the  advantage  of  knowing  the  world  of 
which  he  writes ;  all  his  people  are  alive,  and  so  vastly 
entertaining  that  the  reader  takes  leave  of  them  with 
genuine  regret. 


^ 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W, 


THE  BEWILDERED  BENEDICT 

The  Story  of  a  Superfluous  Uncle.  By  EDWARD 
BURKE,  Author  of  "  Bachelors'  Buttons."  Crown 
8vo.     Price  6/-.  Inland  Postage  5d.  extra. 

IN  this,  his  second  book,  Edward  Burke  reveals  the 
same  unique  gift  of  laughter  and  joy  that  so 
delighted  the  readers  of  "  Bachelors'  Buttons." 
The  bewildered  benedict  is  a  middle-aged  man  who  dotes 
upon  a  wife  he  frequently  misunderstands.  He  is  a 
martyr  to  the  sister-in-law  who  has  "  brought  him  up  " 
and  wishes  to  continue  to  do  so,  and  an  uncle  of  his 
wife's,  who  has  come  to  stay,  and  of  whom  he  cannot  rid 
himself.  With  this  visitant  uncle,  a  "  millionaire  "  with 
only  one  bag — "  and  such  a  bag  !  " — also  enters  the 
snake  into  this  garden  of  Eden.  Misunderstandings 
ensue,  loss  of  reputation  and  peace  of  mind.  Diplomacy 
and  strategy  are  ineffectual  with  this  most  urbane  of 
uncles,  who  desires  only  to  bestow  his  "  wealth  "  upon 
those  of  his  own  blood. 

BACHELORS'    BUTTONS 

The  Candid  Confessions  of  a  Shy  Bachelor.  Col- 
lected by  EDWARD  BURKE.  Crown  8vo.  Price 
6/-.     Inland  Postage  5d.  extra.     Ninth  Thousand. 

"  A  New  Humorist." — Standard. 
"  A  New  Humorist."— Morning  Post. 
"A  New  Humorist." — Liverpool  Courier. 
"  A  New  Humorist." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 
"  A  New  Humorist." — Dundee  Advertiser. 
"  A  New  Humorist." — Manchester  Guardian. 
"  Mr.  Jenkins  is  fortunate   in  bis  discoveries   of  new   writers. 
We  have  laughed  right  through  the  volume." — Outlook. 

13 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


THE    BREATH  OF 
THE    KARROO 

A  Novel.    ByL.  H.  BRINKMAN.   Crown  8vo.    6/-. 
Inland  Postage,  5d.  extra. 

THIS  story  of  the  Boers'  early  struggles  with 
the  thieving,  treacherous  Bushmen  of  the 
Karroo  is  based  upon  actual  happenings  as 
narrated  to  the  author  by  an  old  Boer.  It  deals  with 
only  a  few  incidents  which  led  up  to  the  final  doom  of  the 
uncivilised  Bushmen.  The  outrage  by  which  two  Boer 
children  were  treacherously  murdered  by  the  Bushmen 
was  the  first  step  towards  the  eventual  extermination  of 
the  whole  race  of  Bushmen.  In  the  course  of  his  story 
Mr.  Brinkman  gives  many  remarkable  and  vivid  pictures 
of  the  domestic  life  of  the  old-time  Boers,  who  seem 
always  to  have  thriven  most  in  the  face  of  adversity. 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


THE  CHINA  COLLECTOR 

A  Guide  to  the  Porcelains  of  the  English  Factories, 
by  H.  W.  LEWER:  With  a  Prefatory  Note  by 
FRANK  STEVENS,  and  32  Illustrations,  also 
Reproductions  of  the  Authentic  English  Marks. 
Crown  8vo:    Price  5/-  net.    Inland  Postage  5d.  extra. 

NO  path  is  so  full  of  pitfalls  as  that  of  the 
amateur  collector  of  English  porcelain. 
The  author's  object  in  this  book  is,  by  a 
warning  here  and  an  injunction  there,  to  save  the  novice 
from  making  expensive  and  discouraging  mistakes. 
Information  of  great  value  to  all  who  collect  is  set  forth 
in  the  most  simple  manner  possible.  Himself  a  collector 
for  nearly  twenty  years  and  one  who  has  bought  his 
experience,  Mr.  Lewer  confines  himself  to  certainties. 
Among  the  novel  features  of  his  book  is  a  detailed 
description  under  varied  headings  of  the  output  of  each 
factory,  together  with  reproductions  of  its  marks  and 
those  of  its  workmen.  Mr.  Frank  Stevens  has  specially 
selected  for  the  illustrations  pieces  of  practical  value 
that  can  be  seen  in  the  public  collections,  so  that  the 
student  may  easily  consult  the  model  from  which  the 
reproduction  is  made.  The  marks  to  be  found  on  china 
are  specially  reproduced  as  a  guide,  though  at  the  same 
time  the  author  is  careful  to  warn  his  readers  against  a 
too  implicit  reliance  on  them.  In  short,  the  book  repre- 
sents a  simple  and  concise  statement  of  all  the  facts 
known  about  English  china,  armed  with  which  the 
collector  may  go  upon  his  profitable  way  rejoicing. 


15 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


MY  MOTOR  MILESTONES 

How  to  Tour  in  a  Car.  By  the  BARONESS 
CAMPBELL  VON  LAURENTZ.  With  17  Illustra- 
tions and  3  Maps,  Crown  8vo.  Price  5/-  net. 
Inland  Postage  5d.  extra. 

ENGLAND  is  too  small  for  the  enterprising 
motorist,  and  the  foreign  tour  increases  in 
popularity  each  year.  Few  people  know  how 
to  begin — or  how  to  proceed,  for  that  matter.  Most  of 
them  seem,  at  some  time  or  other,  to  have  written 
to  the  Baroness  Campbell  von  Laurentz,  imploring 
advice.  Despairing  of  an  unmanageable  correspondence, 
she  conceived  the  idea  of  writing  a  book  that  should 
leave  no  more  queries  in  even  the  most  fertile  brain. 
In  her  own  words,  "  So  many  people,  before  starting  on 
a  tour,  wrote  asking  all  sorts  of  questions,  that  at  last  I 
decided,  at  their  request,  to  put  my  experiences  together." 
She  herself  has  toured  all  over  the  Continent,  through 
England  and  Algeria,  and  from  her  mishaps  and  triumphs 
over  difficulties  the  uninitiated  may  learn. 

WINDYRIDGE 

A  New  Illustrated  Edition  of  W.  RILEY'S  Success- 
ful Novel,  now  in  its  TENTH  THOUSAND.  With 
8  Reproductions,  full  gilt.  Price  5/-  net.  Postage 
5d.  extra. 


16 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


THE  GARDEN  OF  IGNORANCE 

Experiences  of  a  Woman  in  a  Garden,  By  MRS. 
GEORGE  CRAN,  F.R.H.S.  With  29  Illustrations. 
Crown  8vo,  Price  5/-  net.  Inland  Postage  5d. 
extra.     Second  Edition. 

"  Read  it,  read  it  now  !  "—Daily  Mail. 

"We  can  recommend  this  book." — Athen^um. 

"  A  capital  idea  .   .   .  A  capital  book." — Observer. 

"At  once  a  delightful  and  useful  book,  bound  to  attain  the 
popularity  it  deserves." — Truth. 

"  To  all  who  love  a  gai-den  .  .  this  lively,  entertaining  book  may 
be  commended." — Daily  Telegraph. 

"  '  The  Garden  of  Ignorance  '  is  just  the  book  for  a  summer's 
afternoon." — Daily  Express. 

"  Contains  a  large  amount  of  most  useful  information.  It  will  be 
welcome  to  every  amateur  gardener." — Academy. 

"  There  is  much  to  admire  in  this  record  of  a  Surrey  garden." — 
Evening  Standard. 

WILD  BIRDS 

Through  the  Year.  By  GEORGE  A.  B.  DEWAR. 
Author  of  "The  Birds  in  Our  Wood,"  etc.  With  8 
Illustrations.  Crown  8vo.  Price  5/-  net.  Inland 
Postage  5d.  extra; 

*•  Mr.  Dewar  wins  our  hearts  at  once." — Standard. 

"  The  latest  of  his  charming  books  of  bird  study." — Daily  News. 

"The    author   is  a  genuine  observer   and  lover   of    birds." — 

ATHEN/EOM. 

"A  book  about  birds  that  should  delight  those  who  have  a 
kindred  interest." — T.  P.'s  Weekly. 

"  A  calendar  of  nature  notes  by  an  enthusiast,  deservedly  known 
for  his  fine  descriptive  powers  and  close  observation." — Observer. 

"  In  this  collection  of  charming  essays  and  random  nature  notes 
Mr.  Dewar  pleasantly  discourses  not  only  of  our  wild  birds,  but  also 
of  many  of  the  wild  plants  of  our  fields,  woods,  and  hedgerows, 
and  of  moths  and  butterflies,  and  other  insects  of  the  country  side. 
He  is  evidently  a  keen  observer  of  Nature." — Academy. 

17 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


ROUND  THE  BRITISH  EMPIRE 

An  Account  of  How  Two  Young  Britons  Journeyed 
Round  the  World  in  Search  of  Pleasure,  and  Uncon- 
sciously Acquired  Much  Knowledge  of  the  History 
and  Geography  of  the  Empire.  By  DR.  ALEX  HILL, 
Secretary  of  the  Congress  of  the  Universities 
of  the  Empire,  and  Sometime  Master  of  Downing 
College,  Cambridge.  New  and  Revised  Edition. 
With  24  full-page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo.  2/6 
net.    Inland  Postage  4d.  extra. 


Y 


"  "^  ^E  may  take  a  man  to  the  Univarsity,  but 
ye  can't  make  him  think,"  is  one  of  Mr. 
Dooley's  wise  sayings.  You  may  take  a 
boy  and  girl  round  the  world,  but  you  can't  prevent 
them  from  learning  more  about  the  British  Empire 
than  ever  they  would  at  school.  The  story  of  the  travels 
of  the  two  children  of  this  book  was  written  by  their 
father,  who  added  for  their  instruction  a  good  deal  of 
information,  historical,  economic,  and  scientific ;  all 
vouchsafed  with  the  primary  view  of  interesting,  so  that 
to  their  surprise  they  found  they  had  learned  "  a  mort  o' 
things."  The  book  gives  to  the  reader  some  idea  of  the 
advantages  of  this  ideal  method  of  education.  "  Interest 
the  child  and  it  will  remember,"  is  the  keynote  of  the  New 
Education.  It  has  the  attraction  which  always  attaches 
to  a  narrative  of  personal  experience.  The  information 
the  book  conveys,  based  upon  direct  observation,  is 
such  as  every  Briton  should  possess,  and  many  grown-up 
children  will  find  in  it  both  pleasure  and  profit. 

18 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYMARKET  S.W. 


CHEIRO'S   GUIDE 
TO    THE     HAND 

A  Practical  Book  on  Palmistry,  Based  on  the  System 
and  Experience  of  Cheiro.  New  Edition.  Illustrated. 
Crown  8vo.     2/6  net.     Inland  Postage  4d.  extra. 

SCEPTICISM  is  frequently  the  disguise  of  ignor- 
ance, and  those  who  do  not  believe  in  Palmistry 
are  more  often  than  not  entirely  unaware  that  it 
is  a  precise  science.  They  would  probably  respect  it  more 
if  they  knew  that  it  is  older  than  the  Christian  era  by  some 
two  thousand  years.  It  has  been  proved  that  the  lines 
in  the  hand  have  a  normal  and  natural  position,  just  as 
have  the  nose  or  eyes  in  the  face.  The  slightest  devia- 
tion from  the  normal  denotes  unusual  qualities  or 
tendencies.  With  full  knowledge  precautions  can  be 
taken,  and  this  in  itself  justifies  ch;  iromancy.  Cheiro 
is  the  well-known  modern  seer,  and  in  this  inexpensive 
volume  he  gives  instructions  in  the  art  of  hand-reading 
with  such  simplicity  that  anyone  can  speedily  become 
proficient. 

CHEIRO'S  WHEN 
WERE  YOU  BORN? 

A  Book  That  Will  Bring  You  Success.  Your 
Character  Told,  Your  Tendencies  Explained  :  Your 
Future  Indicated.  With  Engravings  Illustrating 
Life's  Mysterious  Triangles.  Crown  8vo.  Price  2/6 
net.     Inland  Postage  4d.  extra; 

19 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


THE  FLAW  IN  OUR  ARMOUR 

By  MAJOR-GENERAL  SIR  WILLIAM  G.  KNOX. 
K.C.B.  With  an  Introduction  by  FIELD-MARSHAL 
EARL  ROBERTS,  K.G.,  V.C.  Crown  8vo.  Price 
i/-  net.     Inland  Postage  4d.  extra. 

IT  is  a  popular  view  that  National  Service  is  a 
wholesale  surrender  to  Militarism.  No  thought 
is  taken  of  the  effect  upon  the  nation's  physique 
of  a  short  military  trainmg  of  the  manhood  of  the  country 
at  a  period  when  it  most  requires  it.  The  necessity  for 
this  is  apparent  to  all  who  have  observed  the  stunted 
and  degenerate  appearance  of  the  majority  of  the  workers 
in  our  great  industrial  cities.  National  Service  would 
not  only  improve  the  physique  of  the  male  population  ; 
but  it  would  supply  us  with  a  well-trained  army  with 
which  to  meet  foreign  aggression.  The  time  and  treasure 
spent  upon  defence  is  insurance,  and  no  country  is  less 
liable  to  war  than  that  which  is  fully  prepared  for  it. 
In  the  present  book  the  author  indicates  what  would 
be  the  probable  result  if  we  were  involved  in  a  war 
with  a  Great  Power.  That  war  shatters  theories  has 
been  conclusively  proved  in  our  own  generation,  and 
we  who  have  protected  our  limbs  have,  by  a  strange  and 
illogical  oversight,  allowed  our  vitals  to  remain  exposed. 

NATIONAL  REVIVAL 

A  Re-Statement  of  Tory  Principles.  With  an  Intro- 
duction by  LORD  WILLOUGHBY  de  BROKE. 
Crown  8vo.  Price  2/6  net.   Inland  Postage  4d.  extra. 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


WILLIAM  MORRIS 

POET  CRAFTSMAN  SOCIAL  RETORMEH 
A  STUDY  I.\  PERSONALirV 


WILLIAM  MORRIS 

A  Study  in  Personality.  By  ARTHUR  COMPTON- 
RICKETT,  M.A.,  LL.D.  With  an  Introduction  by 
R.  B.  CUNNINGHAME-GRAHAM,  and  Illustra- 
tions. DemySvo.  Price  7/6  net.  Inland  Postage  6d. 
extra. 

"  A  capital  performance."— Daily  Chronicle, 

"  This  particular  book  I  can  warmly  recommend. ' ' — Daily  Mail. 

"  A  true  and  recognisable  figure  of  Morris  as  he  lived.  A  piece  of 
work  well  worth  doing." — Athenaeum. 

"The  book  is  remarkable  .  .  .  Mr.  Compton-Rickett  is  to  be 
congratulated." — Daily  Graphic 

"  This  penetrative  study  in  personality  is  a  fine  piece  of  work." 
— Outlook. 

"  What  chiefly  gives  this  book  life  and  novelty  and  raciness  is 
the  personal  element — Morris,  the  man." — Times. 

"Will  be  read  with  vivid  interest  by  those  who  are  already 
familiar  with  the  earlier  books.  ...  A  thoroughly  interesting 
volume,  one  which  is  a  worthy  tribute  to  a  great  memory,  and  one 
which  will  further  enhance  the  reputation  of  the  writer  as  a  literary 
critic." — Daily  Telegraph. 


21 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


THE  MUSE  IN  EXILE 

Poems  by  WILLIAM  WATSON.  With  an  Introduc- 
tion on  "  The  Poet's  Place  in  the  Scheme  of  Life." 
Crown  8vo.     Price  3/6  net.     Inland  Postage  ^d.  extra. 

"  If  these  are  the  songs  of  exile,  we  could  wish  it  prolonged  for 
the  sake  of  more." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

"The  Muse  which  is  content  to  sing  like  this  need  not  long 
remain  in  exile." — Daily  Telegraph. 

"  '  The  Muse  in  Exile  '  abounds  in  traces  of  that  grand  style  of 
which  Mr.  Watson  is  the  sole  inheritor.  .  .  .  The  last  prince  of  the 
royal  house  of  song." — Liverpool  Post. 

"  Rarely  has  Mr.  Watson  written  so  spontaneously  or  with  a 
more  exquisite  simplicity  and  tenderness  than  in  some  of  these 
lyrics." — Bookman. 

"Is  t'.Kre  a  living  poet  who  could  rival  these  sublime  images 
and  thcEj  reverberating  tones  ?  .  .  .  Only  the  great  poet  can 
achieve  these  triumphs  of  intense  imaginative  insight  wrought 
into  a  deathless  phrase." — Mr.  James  Douglas  in  the  Star. 

THE  FLUTE  OF  SARDONYX 

Poems  by  EDMUND  JOHN.  With  an  Introduction  by 
Stephen  Phillips.  Crown  8vo.  Price  3/6  net.  Inland 
Postage  4d.  extra. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Mr.  John  is  a  sweet  and  at  times 
a  powerful  singer." — Athen^um. 

"  Mr.  John  is  a  poet.  He  writes  lines  which  nobody  but  a  poet 
could  write." — Scotsman. 

"  Mr.  John  .  .  .  has  a  touch  of  genius.  He  is  a  lordling  if  not  a 
lord  of  language.  His  verses  are  bright  with  jewelled  felicities." — 
Mr.  James  Douglas  in  the  Star. 

POEMS  TO  PAVLOVA 

By  A.  TULLOCH  CULL.  With  8  Illustrations  of 
Madame  Pavlova  in  Her  Most  Famous  Dances.  Large 
8vo.     Price  3/6  net.     Inland  Postage  4d.  extra. 

"A  beautiful  tribute  to  the  great  Russian  dancer  which  many  of 
her  innumerable  admirers  will  be  glad  to  possess." — T.P.'s 
Weekly. 

"  The  book  includes  some  really  beautiful  portraits  of  Pavlova. 
The  poems  are  delightful.  They  have  the  very  spirit  of  that  poesy 
which  Pavlova  translates  into  movement." — Standard, 

22 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 

THE  BACONIAN  HERESY 

A  Confutation.  By  J.  M.  ROBERTSON,  M.P. 
Demy  8vo  (9  by  5f  inches).  Price  21/-  net.  Inland 
Postage  6d.  extra. 

"An  interesting  addition  to  Shakespearean  study." — Spectator. 

"  A  notable  service  to  Elizabethan  scholarship." — Manchester 
Guardian. 

"The  present  author  has  produced  a  volume,  the  scholarship 
of  which  does  credit  to  a  busy  man." — Standard. 

"Mr.  Robertson  shows  a  wide  and  accurate  grasp  of  the 
innumerable  details  with  which  he  deals." — Athen^um. 

"He  has  done  a  great  service  to  sanity,  and  has  given  us  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  a  piece  of  useful  work  done  in  quite  masterly 
fashion." — Nation. 

"  '  The  Baconian  Heresy  '  is  likely  for  some  generations  to 
come  to  be  an  essential  book  of  reference  on  every  Shakespearean 
student's  shelves." — Daily  News. 

"  A  model  of  scholarship,  it  is  a  notable  contribution  to  critical 
literature  ;  and  Mr.  Robertson  is  to  be  warmly  congratulated  upon 
it." — Evening  Standard. 

"  Mr.  Robertson's  trenchant  and  conclusive  refutation  of  the 
Baconian  heresy  would  dispose  of  it  once  and  for  all  if  the  heretics 
were  amenable  to  reason." — Truth. 

"  A  splendid  addition  to  Shakespearean  literature,  which  may  be 
read  with  keen  interest  for  the  fads  it  discloses,  irrespective  of  the  par- 
ticular argument  they  have  been  gathered  to  sustain. "—Odtlook. 

"  A  more  crushing  exposure  of  the  falsity  of  the  whole  Baconian 
position  it  would  be  impossible  to  conceive.  .  .  A  book  that 
must  assuredly  be  regarded  as  the  last  word  to  be  said  on  the 
subject." — Globe. 

"It  is  impossible  within  a  brief  space  to  do  justice  to  Mr. 
Robertson's  monumental  work,  to  the  industry  which  has  ransacked 
the  literature  of  the  age,  to  the  cool  and  scientific  method  of  in- 
quiry, and  to  the  discriminating  literary  judgment  and  feeling 
which  were,  perhaps,  not  the  least  import.ant  qualifications  for  this 
task  of  crushing  confutation." — Daily  Telegraph. 

"After  reading  the  book,  you  come  to  hold,  perhaps,  a  new  view 
of  Shakespeare,  a  more  human  view,  I  think,  than  some  of  us 
are  inclined  to  possess.  To  make  a  fetish  of  Shakespeare  seems  to 
have  been  a  common  pastime.  Mr.  Robertson's  book,  though  in 
no  way  unpleasantly  iconoclastic,  may  pave  the  way  to  a  truer 
understanding.  In  any  case  it  should  be  read  even  by  those  who 
may  never  have  felt  the  smallest  interest  in  the  Baconian 
theory. ' ' — Bystander. 

23 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 

A  GREAT  COQUETTE 

Madame  Recamier  and  her  Salon.  By  JOSEPH 
TURQU  AN,  Author  of  "The  Love  Affairs  of  Napoleon," 
etc.  With  i6  Illustrations.  Demy  8vo.  Price  12/6 
net.     Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 

"An  interesting  study  of  Madame  Recamier." — Truth. 
"  A  curious  study  and  one  of  unusual  interest." — Bookman. 
"  Will  surely  be  found  on  every  woman's  library  list,  since  it 
may  fitly  be  described  as  a  study  in  fascination." — World. 

A  PRINCE  OF  PLEASURE 

A  Vivid  Account  of  the  Court  Life  of  Philip  of  Orleans 
and  His  Brother  Louis  XIV,  With  its  Gossip, 
Pettiness  and  Scandal.  By  HUGH  STOKES,  Author 
of  "  Madame  de  Brinvilliers  and  Her  Times."  With  a 
Photogravure  Frontispiece  and  16  other  Illustrations. 
Demy  8vo.     Price  12/6  net.     Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 

"A  clever  and  intimate  study  .  .  .  written  with  vivacity  and 
skill,  and  contains  many  portraits  and  a  great  deal  of  gossip." — 
Standard. 

THE  ABBE  EDGEWORTH 

and  His  Friends.  By  VIOLETTE  M.  MONTAGU. 
With  16  Illustrations.  Demy  8vo.  Price  12/6  net. 
Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 

"This  interesting  biography  is  well  worth  the  full  and  skilful 
record  it  has  now  obtained." — We.stminster  Gazette. 

"  Miss  Montagu's  most  interesting  account  of  the  Abba's  life  and 
death." — Truth. 

15   YEARS  °A^  DANCER'S  LIFE 

The  Recollections  of  LOIE  FULLER.  With  an  In- 
troduction by  ANATOLE  FRANCE.  16  Illustrations. 
Demy  8vo.  Price  10/6  net.  Inland  Postage  6d.  extra. 
"Miss  Fuller  has  stories  to  tell  of  many  different  people — of 
swindling  managers,  of  crowned  heads,  and  of  such  distinguished 
friends  as  Alexandre  Dumas,  M.  Camille  Flammarion,  M.  Rodin, 
and  M.  and  Mme.  Curie." — Spectator. 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAY  MARKET  S.W. 


THE 
VVINDHMl  PAPERS 


WTH  AN   INTRODUCTION 
eVTHE  RIOHT  HONOUKABLn 

THE  EARL  OF  ROSEBERY 

KO..KX 


THE  WINDHAM  PAPERS 

Being  the  Life  and  Correspondence  of  the  Rt.  Hon. 
William  Windham  (i 750-1810),  a  Member  of  Pitt's 
first  cabinet,  and  the  ministry  of  "  All  the  Talents," 
including  hitherto  unpublished  Letters  from  George 
III,  the  Dukes  of  York  and  Gloucester,  Pitt,  Fox, 
Burke,  Canning,  Lords  Minto,  Castlereagh,  Grenville, 
Nelson,  and  Malone,  Dr.  Johnson,  Cobbett,  Dr. 
Burney,   with  an  Introduction    by  the    Rt.    Hon. 

THE  EARL  OF  ROSEBERY,  K.G.,   K.T. 
Two  Portraits  in  Photogravure  and  32  other  Illus- 
trations.    Demy    8vo   (9   by    5|  inches).     2   vols. 
Price  32/-  net.     Inland  Postage  gd.  extra. 

"  We  must  not  leave  these  engaging  volumes  without  mention 
of  the  many  admirable  portraits." — Westminster  Gazette. 

"  Apart  from  the  intensely  human  personality  they  present,  these 
volumes  add  enormously  to  our  knowledge  of  the  age  of  Pitt, "^ 
PAI.L  Mall  Gazette. 

25 


HERBERT  JENKINS   LIMITED 


CARAVANNING 
&  CAMPING-OUT 


CARAVANNING  &   CAMPING- 

Out.  Experiences  and  Adventures  in  a  Living-van 
and  in  the  Open  Air,  With  Hints  and  Facts  for 
Would-be  Caravanners,  by  J.  HARRIS  STONE,  M.A. 
With  Upwards  of  lOO  Ilkistrations  and  Diagrams 
reproduced  from  Photographs  and  Drawings.  Small 
Quarto.     Price  15/-  net.     Inland  Postage  gd.  extra. 

"  A  fine  book." — Public  Opinion. 

"  A  nice  human  book." — Daily  Mail. 

"  We  recommend  the  present  book." — Standard. 

"  Mr.  Stone'sbook  is  packed  with  valuable  information." — Times. 

"A  full  and  timely  volume.  A  good  book,  one  to  be  heartily 
commended."— Ladies'  Field. 

"Mr.  Harris  Stone's  excellent  book  seems  to  us  to  contain  all  that 
anyone  can  wish  to  know  upon  the  subject."-  Daily  Chronicle. 

"Mr.  Harris  Stone  has  succeeded  in  setting  the  seal  of  per- 
manent favour  upon  caravanning  as  a  pastime." — Outlook. 

"The  book  is  delightful  reading,  a  complete  epitome  of  the 
whole  science  of  caravanning  and  camping-out." — Globe. 

"Mr.  Stone's  book  is  both  a  companion  and  a  guide.  It  includes 
useful  chapters,  full  of  information  and  '  tips  '  for  the  inexperi- 
enced."— AtHEN/EUM. 

26 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 


WINDYRIDGE 

A   Novel  that    was   a  Success  of  the   Season.     By 
W.RILEY.  Crown  8vo.  Price  6/-.  Tenth  Thousand. 

"  '  Windyridge'  is  something  unusual." — Daily  Chronicle. 

"  There  is  a  quaint  charm  about  this  story." — Athen.-eum. 

"  Oh,  '  Windyridge  '  were  paradise  enow." — Saturday  Review- 

"'Windyridge'  can  be  confidently  recommended." — Pall 
Mall  Gazette. 

"  '  Windyridge'  is  an  arresting,  fascinating  book,  one  to  read  and 
read  again." — Academy. 

"  '  Windyridge'  is  a  book  that  should  give  genuine  pleasure  to 
tens  of  thousands  of  people." — Nation. 

"  A  revelation  of  how  much  pleasure  can  be  got  from  the  perusal 
of  a  sincere  description  of  the  real  things  of  life." — Outlook. 

"A  Notable  New  Novel  .  .  .  Few  who  take  it  up  will  care 
to  lay  it  down  before  the  last  page  is  reached.  It  is  a  novel  of  the 
genus  to  which  '  Cranford  '  belongs,  and  we  are  not  sure  that  it 
may  not  challenge  comparison  even  with  Mrs.  Gaskell's  classic." — 
Globe. 


27 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


/* 

^^Hin 

11 

I 
1  1 

THE  ONE  MAID 
BOOK  OF  COOKERY 

THE    ONE     MAID 
BOOK  OF  COOKERY 

By   A.    E.    CONGREVE,    First    Class    Diplomee. 
Crown  8vo.  Price  2/6  net.   Inland  Postage  4d;  extra. 

"  This  is  such  an  excellent  little  book  that  I  cannot  forbear 
mentioning  it  here." — Ladies'  Field. 

"  '  The  One-Maid  Book  of  Cookery  '  gives,  besides  many  well- 
thought-out  receipts,  some  excellent  advice  on  the  art  of  house- 
keeping."— Spectator. 

"  Now  that  so  many  people  live  in  flats,  and  have  only  accommo- 
dation for  one  maid,  a  '  One  Maid  Book  of  Cookery  '  is  a  good 
idea." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

"No  mere  collection  of  recipes,  but  a  real  culinary  manual 
which  ought  to  enable  any  maid-of-all-work  to  turn  out  decently 
cooked  dishes,  and  any  housewife  with  but  one  servant  to  provide 
agreeable  menus  for  the  most  exacting  of  '  beasts.'  " — World. 

"A  book  by  whose  aid  any  intelligent  person,  however  inex- 
perienced, should  be  able  to  cook  a  simple  dinner  successfully. 
It  contains  hints  concerning  shopping  and  the  general  management 
of  a  kitchen  which  beginners  will  find  extremely  useful." — New 
Statesman. 

28 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE  HAYM ARRET  S.W. 

WOMAN  AND  TO-MORROW 

By  W.  L.  GEORGE,  Author  of  "  A  Bed  of  Roses,' 
"  The  City  of  Light,"  etc.  Price  2/6  net.  Inland  Postage 
4d.  extra.     Third  thousand. 

"  A  really  masterly  exposition." — Daily  News. 
"The  boldest    and    ablest    presentation    I  have  yet    read 
Feminism." — Mr.  T.  P.  O'Connor  in  "  T.  P.'s  Weekly." 

THE  LOVE-SEEKER 

By  MAUD  CHURTON  BRABY,  Author  of  "  Modern 
Marriage  and  How  to  Bear  It,"  "  Downward,"  etc.  Price 
2/6  net.     Inland  Postage  4d.  extra.     Fourth  thousand. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Braby,  thank  you  very  much  !  " — Throne. 

"'Every  lover,  or  would-be  lover,  should  buy  this  book,  this 
all  things  to  all  lovers." — Daily  Chronicle. 

"  This  sympathetic,  profound  little  book  should  be  packed  in 
the  trunks  of  every  bridegroom  and  every  bride." — Daily  News. 

EMBROIDERY  STITCHES 

A  Book  for  Gentlewomen.  By  M.  E.  WILKINSON. 
With  200  Illustrations.  Demy  8vo.  Price  5/-  net. 
Inland  Postage  5d.  extra. 

"  The  author  has  spared  no  eftbrt  to  keep  the  directions  as  simple 
as  possible,  without  loss  of  clearness,  and  the  book  should  be 
useful  both  to  beginners  and  to  those  more  advanced  in  the 
work." — Field. 

DAYS  OF  A  YEAR 

By  M.  D.  ASHLEY  DODD.  With  an  Appreciation  by 
Henry  James.  Small  8vo.  Price  2/6  net.  Bound  in 
velvet  calf,  price  5/-  net.     Inland  Postage  4d.  extra. 

"  A  very  charming  and  charmingly  printed  book  .  .  .  vivid 
and  delicate  prose." — T.P.'s  Weekly. 

29 


HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 

THE  FRINGE  OF  THE  DESERT 

A  Novel.  By  R.  S.  MACN AMARA,  Author  of "  Seed  of 
Fire,"  etc.  Price  6/-,  Inland  Postage  5d.  extra. 
Second  Impression. 

"  A  fascinating  story."— Daily  Graphic. 
"  A  clever  and  engaging  story." — Daily  Telegraph. 
"  Written  with  true  feeling  and  imagination,  perhaps  we  might 
say  with  passion." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

WHITE    WITCH 

A  Novel.  By  MERIEL  BUCHANAN.  Price  6/-. 
Inland  Postage  5d.  extra. 

"  A  promising  novelist." — Tatler. 

"  The  fruit  of  real  intuition."— Nation. 

"  A  remarkable  and  well-constructed  story." — Morning  Post. 

THE  RELUCTANT  LOVER 

A  Society  Novel.  By  STEPHEN  McKENNA.  Price 
6/-.     Postage  ^d.  extra.       Second  Impression. 

"  A  very  clever  novel." — Trdth. 

"  Mr.  McKenna  has  added  to  the  gaiety  of  nations  .  .  . 
distinctly  a  book  to  be  read." — Standard. 

PRIVATE    SMITH 

A  Novel.  By  CAPTAIN  OSWALD  DALLAS.  With 
a  Foreword  by  Lt.-Gen.  SIR  R.  BADEN-POWELL, 
K.C.B.,  K.C.V.O.    Price  6/-.    Postage  5d.  extra. 

"We  hope  Captain  Dallas'  book  will  be  widely  read." — 
Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

"  Those  who  are  putting  before  the  public  facts  such  as  these 
are  doing  a  national  service  " — Morning  Post. 


30 


12  ARUNDEL  PLACE 

HAY  MARKET  S.W, 

INDEX 

OF 

AUTHORS 

PAGE 

TAGE 

Baden-Powell,    Sir 

John,  Edmund    . . 

22 

Robert,  K.C.B. 

30 

Knox,   Major-Gen. 

Beresford,  Admiral 

Sir  Wm.  G.     . . 

20 

Lord       Charles, 

Lewer,  H.  W. 

15 

K.C.B 

3 

Lowth,  Alys 

3 

Braby,  Maud  Chur- 

Macnamara,  Rachel 

ton 

29 

Swete    . . 

30 

Brinkman,  L.  H.  . . 

14 

Montagu,  Violette 

24 

Buchanan,  Meriel 

30 

McKenna,  S.     . .  12 

30 

Burke,  Edward  . . 

13 

Phillips,  Stephen 

22 

Campbell  von  Lau- 

Rickett,        Arthur 

rentz,  Baroness 

16 

Compton 

21 

"  Cheiro  " 

19 

Riley,  W 

27 

Congreve,         Mrs. 

Roberts,          Field 

A.  E 

28 

Marshal       Earl, 

Cran,  Mrs.  George 

17 

V.C,  K.G.       .. 

20 

Cull,  A.  TuUoch  . . 

22 

Robertson,  J.    M., 

Cunninghame- 

M.P 

23 

Graham,  R.  B. 

21 

Rosebery,  The  Earl 

Dallas,        Captain 

of,  K.G.,  K.T.  . . 

25 

Oswald  . . 

30 

Stevens,  Frank    . . 

15 

Dewar,  George  A. B. 

17 

Stokes,  Hugh     6,  9 

.24 

Dodd,  M.  D.  Ashley 

29 

Stone,  J.  Harris  . . 

26 

Dunoyer,  Alphonse 

5 

Suffield,  Lord 

3 

Evans,  A.  W. 

5 

Thiis,  Dr.  Jens    . . 

7 

France,  Anatole  . . 

24 

Turquan,  Joseph 

24 

Fuller,  Loie 

24 

Watson,  William . . 

22 

George,  W.  L. 

29 

Wilkinson,  M.  E. 

29 

HiU,  Dr.  Alex      . . 

18 

Willoughby          de 

James,  Henry 

29 

Broke,  Lord     . . 

20 

HERBERT  JENKINS  LIMITED 


M^  m  w  N' 

THE  FRlAfGB  OF 
THE   DESERT 

.1    JVOX^B/,   BY 


THE  BEWILDERED 

BENEDICT 

BY  THE  AdTHOR  OF 

"BACH  FXOR  S'  BUTTONS" 


L  THE  4 

^'  ABBE  EDGEWORTH  ^ 
t-  AND  HIS  FRIENDS" 

Z  2 

V 


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